By Our Correspondent.
L-R:Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Phillip Shaibu.
The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has gone to a Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop an alleged plot to remove him from office.
In a motion of notice brought before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and made available to the media on Thursday, the appellant seeks an order of interlocutory injunction stopping the respondents or their agents from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing or preventing him from carrying out the functions of his office as Deputy Governor of Edo State including attending State Executive Council meetings and other functions pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The court papers listed the Inspector General of Police, State Security Service, the Governor of Edo State, Speaker Edo House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Edo State as defendants.
Further investigations revealed that for the past two months, all have not been well in the Edo Government House following the political disagreement between Obaseki and Shaibu.
It was gathered that an alleged dehumanization and humiliation of the deputy governor by his principal started when Shaibu was seen in a viral video with Senator Adams Oshiomole during the inauguration of the National Assembly in Abuja.
Reports further claimed that a few days after the Abuja viral video, the Governor summoned all Edo State House of Assembly PDP members to his house, excluding his deputy, which was unusual.
The deputy, who was briefed about the meeting, drove directly to the governor’s mansion but was allegedly humiliated by security personnel, who told him he was not on their list of invitees.
Amidst the persisting cold war between the governor and his deputy, the former deputy Governor, Chief Mike Oghiadome, and a former Chief Judge promptly intervened by summoning the duo to broker peace.
The meeting was said to have failed in bringing about the needed peace between the two political giants, even as the deputy governor has reportedly been sidelined from major activities involving Obaseki.
Reports further gathered that Shaibu, who is said to have shown interest in the 2024 governorship election, decided to approach the court to avoid an alleged plot to impeach him from office before the poll.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.