Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has finally accepted the apology of his deputy, Philip Shaibu, over what he has described as an unwarranted provocation, which he said caused him severe personal discomfort.
The governor explained that he was under obligation to accept Shaibu’s apology due to his faith.
Shaibu’s ambition to succeed Obaseki in 2024 led to a fallout with the governor.
The rift resulted in Obaseki relocating the deputy governor’s office out of the Government House
In addition, Obaseki disbanded Shaibu’s media crew and also removed him as the supervisory head of the revenue generation agencies in the state.
But, the deputy governor had begged his principal for forgiveness.
In a letter titled,
“Re: Public Apology By The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu,” Obaseki said in good faith, he trusts that the public apology as expressed by Shaibu is genuine and followed by contrite steps to improve his conflict resolution skills.
The letter reads:
“I have noted the public apology made by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu. This apology followed an aberrant behaviour that contradicts what the people of Edo State stand for.
“To name a few, the Deputy Governor needlessly filed unfounded petitions in the Nigerian courts restraining me, the State House of Assembly and Security agencies from a non-existent impeachment process, followed by repeated breaches of protocol; unwarranted and unprovoked attacks in the media on my person and the State Government.
“The media frenzy as a result of the above and more provided an impression of crises that have been precarious and distasteful to Edo people in the State and across the world.
“Although these unwarranted provocations caused me severe personal discomfort, as a person of faith, I am under obligation to accept this apology because as they say, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.”
Obaseki further noted, “In good faith, I trust that the public apology as expressed by the Deputy Governor is genuine and followed by contrite steps to improve his conflict resolution skills. I also enjoin the Deputy Governor to guide his proxies to act by his piety.”
Read the letter in full below;
RE: PUBLIC APOLOGY BY THE EDO STATE DEPUTY GOVERNOR, PHILIP SHAIBU
I have noted the public apology made by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu. This apology followed an aberrant behaviour that contradicts what the people of Edo State stand for.
To name a few, the Deputy Governor needlessly filed unfounded petitions in the Nigerian courts restraining me, the State House of Assembly and Security agencies from a non-existent impeachment process, followed by repeated breaches of protocol; unwarranted and unprovoked attacks in the media on my person and the State Government.
The media frenzy as a result of the above and more provided an impression of crises that have been precarious and distasteful to Edo people in the State and across the world.
Although these unwarranted provocations caused me severe personal discomfort, as a person of faith, I am under obligation to accept this apology because as they say, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.”
In good faith, I trust that the public apology as expressed by the Deputy Governor is genuine and followed by contrite steps to improve his conflict resolution skills. I also enjoin the Deputy Governor to guide his proxies to act by his piety.
It is my sincere hope and that of my other colleagues in government and all well-meaning Edo people, that these rhetorics will be put to an end forthwith to enable this administration to finish strong and deliver the dividends of democracy to the greatest number of Edo people over this final twelve (12) months.”
