Omobayo Godwins, Edo State’s new Deputy Governor, has vowed his unwavering allegiance to Governor Godwin Obaseki for the short months they would work together before the governor’s eight-year double mandates expire on November 12, 2016.
The 37-year-old, who was sworn in on Monday after the state assembly impeached Philip Shaibu as Edo deputy governor, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today show.
Godwins stated that he is learning on the job and will not hesitate to follow his principal’s instructions.
When asked if he is content that the function of deputy governor has been reduced to a “spare tyre,” Godwins replied, “That’s fine with me. Life is a process. At 37, I am already a deputy governor; it has strengthened my political outlook, and I am not in a hurry to drag along with my governor. Whatever he says I should, I shall do. He recognises my strength. So I’ll focus on my strengths when it comes to adding value. Politically, I’m learning on the job.
The new deputy governor was unambiguous that his becoming deputy governor, months to the expiration of the eight-year tenure of Obaseki, was part of the political permutations for Ighodalo to defeat his closest contenders like LP’s Olumide Akpata and Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Godwins boasted that he has robust grassroot support from his base in Akoko Edo, one of the local governments in the Edo North Senatorial District, to boost the chances of Ighodalo, who hails from Ewohimi in the Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo Central Senatorial District.
On Shaibu’s impeachment, he said, “That is politics for you. Your job first of all is to be loyal.”
‘Attack On Democracy’
Meanwhile, Shaibu has rejected his impeachment by the lawmakers, describing it as a threat to democracy.
“This is not just an attack on me as an individual but on the democracy that we hold dear,” he said
“It is a dangerous descent into dictatorship and a threat to the foundation of our democracy. Let it be clear that this impeachment was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo State 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. An ambition that is a legal right to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Shaibu was Obaseki’s deputy from November 12, 2016 till April 8, 2024 when he was unceremoniously removed following a protracted rift between the two former political allies.
For about one year, Obaseki and Shaibu had been engaged in counter-accusations as their once-smooth relationship completely broke down. The governor had claimed that Shaibu was planning a “coup” to unseat him while the labour leader also accused his principal of instigating the state assembly to impeach him.
Shaibu, who contested the PDP governorship primary, had declared himself a winner in a parallel election after the party announced businessman Ighodalo the party’s flag bearer.