Shaibu: Oshiomhole still my father — I’ll apologise to him over election comments

Philip Shaibu, deputy governor of Edo, says his relationship with Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of the state, is cordial.

Speaking on Tuesday in an interview with Channels Television, Shaibu said Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, is still his “father”.

In the build up to the 2020 Edo governorship election, the cordial relationship between Shaibu and Oshiomhole turned sour.

Shaibu decided to support Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, against the wishes of Oshiomhole.

Oshiomhole was Shaibu’s political godfather at the time.

The relationship between Obaseki and Shaibu has been strained lately due to the deputy governor’s insistence on contesting the 2024 Edo governorship election.

Speaking on the situation, Shaibu said he is excited that Obaseki has started inviting Oshiomhole to government events.

The deputy governor added that he will reach out to Oshiomhole to apologise over his past comments.

He said his “headache” with Obaseki started after he congratulated Oshiomhole for winning the Edo north senatorial election.

“My relationship with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is cordial. When I mean cordial, he is still my father. Politically, we are in different political parties,” he said.

“I am happy that the governor has started inviting the former governor (referring to Oshiomhole) and my father to political functions. That is what I have been praying for.

“And now that he has started, I think that the next step is for me to reach him and also first apologise to him for some use of words during the election.

“But in terms of principle of supporting Obaseki, I will still support Obaseki because God told me that is the right thing to do.

“One of the crises that I had was when I went to the senate to congratulate Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and I was seen in a viral video.

“That was where my headache started because the governor’s style is that as friend of the governor, you must be friend to him and an enemy to the governor, you must be enemy to him. I understand that principle and I am being careful.

“What I was waiting for was for the governor to make that move because I will not make that move if the governor had not made the move.

“Now that he has made the move to be inviting Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, I am emboldened to go and see him.”