APC Members Kick Against Ex-Edo Deputy Gov’s Alleged Attempt To Return To Party
MEMBERS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State have kicked against the rumoured interest of the recently impeached deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu to return to the party.
It will be recalled that Mr Shaibu, in the run-up to the governorship election held in the state in 2020 defeated from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They not only won their new party governorship and deputy governorship tickets, but they also went ahead to win the election.
However, the smooth relationship between the two lately took a turn for the worse leading to the removal of Mr Shaibu from office by the Edo State House of Assembly. Since his removal on Monday, there has been persistent rumour of his return to the APC.
Meanwhile, some members of the party Tuesday protested alleged plans to re-admit Mr Shaibu into the party.
The protesters, drawn from the 12 wards of Etsako West Local Government Area took their protest to the party secretariat, where they submitted their petition against the alleged plan to re-admit the former deputy governor.
Mr. Yakubu Musa, while presenting a communiqué on behalf of the APC stakeholders, said Shaibu’s exit from APC in 2020 brought peace and tranquility to the party. He argued that his readmittance into the party would further bring rancour and disunity in the party.
“We are protesting over an attempt by the impeached deputy governor Philip Shaibu to jump the boat and defect to APC. The attempt is viewed seriously by members of APC as a calculated plan by Philip Shaibu to bring rancour, disharmony and unprecedented crisis into APC,” Musa said.
He appealed to the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, Senator Adams Oshiomhole and the state Acting Chairman, Jaret Tenebe, not to admit the impeached deputy governor into APC, saying that he has no political value to add to the APC.
“It is on record that Philip Shaibu has not won any election since he left APC for PDP. Philip Shaibu does not possess any electoral value that could warrant his readmittance into our great party.
“We call on our national leaders to hear our voice and help us keep the peace we currently enjoy as APC in Edo State. Any attempt to enroll Philip Shaibu into APC is a direct invitation to crisis, fragmentation, disaffection, disenchanting and disintegration”, Musa declared.
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