Governor Obaseki Allegedly Sabotaging Shaibu’s Governorship Declaration, Hotel Cancels Booking

By Akinwale Kasali

The face-off  between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu remains unabated, despite the public apology tendered by Shaibu to his boss.

Governor Obaseki has been fingered to be sabotaging the move by Shaibu to openly declare his ambition to succeed his boss.

Reports say Shaibu had made payment to Eterno Hotels in Benin City, where he planned to declare his Gubernatorial ambition on Monday. Sadly, the Hotel cancelled his booking to use the hotel.

The hotel, located in the Government Reserved Area, GRA, Benin, is owned by a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

It was gathered that the owner of the Hotel is an ally ofGovernor Obaseki, raising posers that the Governor might have sabotaged the move.

Shaibu was contacted by the management of Eterno Hotel that the space was no longer available for his use while his money was refunded.

The hotel management was said to have told the Shaibu group that another group, ‘Obaseki finishing well group,’ had paid for the same venue.

According to Punch Newspaper, one of Shaibu’s loyalists, who asked not to be named, stated that: “We found this very preposterous that we were contacted by the hotel management that a group had paid for the same venue for a programme slated for 7 a.m. same date

“We know where this is coming from. Whatever their plans to frustrate our declaration will definitely fail. They are jittery over Shaibu’s declaration and popularity.”

Governor Obaseki and his Deputy have been at loggerheads for months due to the Governorship aspiration of Shaibu which does not have the support of his Principal, who stated that his Deputy was becoming too over ambitious.

Seeing that Shaibu was  adamant, Governor Obaseki relocated Shaibu’s office out of the government house, and also stopped him from attending State Council Meetings and shutting him out of State Events.

Shaibu’s camp had sent an invite to Media Houses, Stakeholders, Party faithfuls and his supporters that the Deputy Governor would this week formally declare his intention to run for the 2024 Edo State governorship election.

A  ‘Special Invitation’ dated  November 23, 2023, which the Philip Shaibu Campaign Organisation, made available to newsmen last week, read:  “On behalf of Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu Campaign Organisation, I invite you to honour me with your esteemed presence as I offer myself to serve as the Chief Servant (Governor) of Edo State.

“As stated in the letter, the event was scheduled to be held on Monday, November 27, at the Eterno Hotels, by 8 am”.

But due to the unavailability of the Hotel, the Shaibu camp is yet to formally announce a new venue or change of date for the event.