Philip Shaibu: APC members protest against ex-deputy gov return

The members of the All Progressives Congress, Etsako West Chapter, on Tuesday, protested the alleged plan by Shaibu to return to the APC following his impeachment.

Shaibu followed Governor Godwin Obaseki from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in 2020 amid a crisis with ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The protesters, who came from the 12 wards in the council area, marched to the party secretariat to submit their petition against the move.

Presenting a communique on behalf of the APC stakeholders in the Etsako West LGA, Yakubu Musa said Shaibu’s exit from the APC in 2020 brought peace and tranquility to the party, saying that the former deputy governor’s return would bring rancour and disunity to the party.

Musa said, “We are protesting against an attempt by the impeached deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, to jump boat and defect to the APC.

“The attempt is viewed seriously by members of the APC as a calculated plan by Shaibu to bring rancour, disharmony and unprecedented crisis into the APC.”

Musa appealed to the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, Oshiomhole and the state acting Chairman, Jaret Tenebe, not to allow Shaibu back into the party.

He added, “It is on record that Philip Shaibu has not won any election since he left the APC to the PDP. He 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 in the Edo APC.

“Any attempt to readmit Shaibu into the APC is a direct invitation to crisis, fragmentation, disaffection, disenchantment and disintegration,” Musa added.