The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu has officially declared his intention to contest in the 2024 governorship election in the state.
He made the declaration in a televised announcement on Monday morning.
Shaibu indicated that he would be seeking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the party’s governorship primary election.
Meanwhile, Shaibu’s preparation to use a popular hotel, Eterno Hotels in Benin City, for his formal declaration reportedly hit a brick wall as the hotel management informed him that the space was no longer available.
The hotel management was said to have refunded the deputy governor while informing him that a group known as ‘Obaseki finishing well group’ had paid for the same venue.
Shaibu and his principal, Godwin Obaseki, have been at daggers drawn over the former’s governorship ambition.
Obaseki, who accused his deputy of being overambitious, is believed to be working to pick another person to succeed him.
Amid the brouhaha generated, Shaibu had dragged the governor and the Edo State House of Assembly to court to stop a move to impeach him.
However, the duo later publicly announced they had settled their differences, although this did not stop Obaseki from relocating his deputy’s office outside the Government House.