Philip Shaibu: I will defeat Oshiomhole in his ward

Philip Shaibu, has said that come September 19, he will defeat Adams Oshiomhole, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and immediate past governor of the state even in his ward.

Shaibu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Benin on Sunday.

Philip Shaibu said that this is not because he was “one superstar”, but because he is connected with the people.

Shaibu noted that he does not do money politics nor use money for election or bribe people for election, but does “organic” politics, which is building relationships with people.

Philip Shaibu also said that he believes in being the messenger of the people, carrying the dividends of democracy to the people.

He told NAN that not only will he and the PDP defeat the former national chairman in his ward, he will also win the entire six local government areas in Edo North Senatorial District.

Philip Shaibu said that he will win the district with a very wide margin.

He said, “Edo North Senatorial District will be the easiest to win, because the political structure of the place is in our hands.”

He also disclosed that he introduced the former National Chairman of the APC to politics and organised his first ever meeting that brought him into political limelight.

“I introduced Comrade Oshiomhole to politics. I organised his first ever political meeting that brought him in.

“I was in politics before he, I won my election in 2003, without going to court.

“But he came through the court, and I was already a member of the Edo House of Assembly 18 months before he became a governor.

Shaibu who is the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Edo governorship election billed for Sept. 19, also said that his loyalty to the PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, remains unshaken.

He noted that this is because as the deputy governor of the state, his interest is about the development of the state.

He added that the governor is already developing the state in many ways, saying he will follow and stand with him till the end.

He stressed that he will continue to fight on the side of any government that will make poverty a history in the state.

He noted that he is not just loyal to the governor, but to a vision that the governor, himself and even Oshiomhole once shared.

He noted that Mr Oshiomhole started the vision, which was the vision for development, moving the state forward as well as turning it from a civil service state to an industrial state and business hub of the nation.

He disclosed that although the immediate past governor of the state was pushed forward to be the leader of the vision, regrettably, he pulled out of the shared vision himself.

“But the governor came with a promise to take that vision to the next level and he has done that.

“For instance, Oshiomhole built red roofs, but Obaseki put content into the red roofs, that is why we now have the EdoBest, because red roofs without content is zero,” he said.

He further said that if God has sustained the vision to move the state forward, he will remain loyal to the governor.

He added, “It was the same loyalty I gave to the former National Chairman of the APC, when he came to rescue the state and said the people must lead.

“That is because I am constant and that constant thing in me is supporting any government that will sustain democracy, and will make the state move forward.

“That means wealth will be redistributed, and poverty will be history.”