The Chairman of the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party, Tony Aziegbemi, has reiterated that the party will look at a means of resolving the rift between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu.
Aziegbemi, who spoke with our correspondent on Monday, however, noted that the intervention might have to wait until the return of the deputy governor from his leave.
When asked what specific steps the party was taking to reconcile the governor and his deputy, the party chairman said, “I will not tell you that for now but we will take the needed steps to solve the situation as soon as the deputy governor resumes from his leave.
“I can only assure you that the party will take a lead role in finding a resolution to the problem.”
The PUNCH had reported that Obaseki and Shaibu have been at loggerheads, with the latter dragging the former to court to halt an alleged impeachment plot against him.
While Obaseki dismissed the impeachment plot against the deputy, he, however, accused him of being desperate to become the next governor of Edo State. He alleged that Shaibu had perfected plans to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress to pursue his governorship ambition, a claim that Shaibu has, however, repeatedly denied.
In an effort to resolve the crisis, the leadership of the PDP in Edo State on Sunday called on Shaibu to withdraw the suit against Obaseki.
Efforts to get the deputy governor and ask if he would withdraw the suit were unsuccessful as his mobile lines did not connect.
A visit to his office at the Government House showed minimal official activities in his absence.
An official in the deputy governor’s office, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak, said, “Our worry is that he has not been around for a while and no one knows his whereabouts. Hopefully, there he will be back soon and there will be a resolution to the issue.”
