Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has declared that his embattled deputy, Philip Shaibu, is as free as the air to aspire to any political office of his choice.
Godwin Obaseki, who spoke to journalists after a closed-door meeting with his Bauchi State colleague, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, at the Ramat House in Bauchi on Thursday, said that he is not stopping Philip Shuaibu from contesting any office in Edo State.
According to him, “He is a Nigerian, and by the Constitution of Nigeria, he is very free to aspire. I am not stopping him; he has the right to aspire anywhere in the country.”
Asked if he would support the aspiration of Philip Shaibu, the Edo State Governor said, “I am one of the millions of Edo people, and my single vote cannot stop or make him what he wants to be. The collective will of the people of the state will determine that.”
On national issues, he declared, “There is no exaggerating it; Nigerians are suffering; things are very difficult for Nigerians; people can hardly live a good life as it is now.”
He added, “The year is ending, Christmas is approaching, and prices of food items have skyrocketed in the markets with no money to make purchases. We must stop the blame game and seek out the best way to sort out the situation.”
According to him, “The government must come out with a positive attitude that will make life easier for the people; Nigerians need cushioning from the negative effects of the present situation.”
On the reason for coming to Bauchi, he said, “As members of the PDP, we do have regular consultations to remain a formidable opposition political party in the country.”
He added, “We are here to congratulate our Chairman, Sen Bala Mohammed, for his victory at the Appeal Court.
We are also looking at how we can support the federal government to make life easier for the people of the country.”
Godwin Obaseki concluded that “we are here to ensure that we support the growth and development of democracy in the country.”
