Politics

‘My faith made me accept apology, your unwarranted provocation caused me discomfort’ – Obaseki to Shaibu

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, says he has accepted the public apology tendered by his deputy, Philip Shaibu.

Obaseki however disclosed that Shaibu’s unwarranted provocation 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.

Obaseki accepted Shaibu’s apology in a letter titled ‘Re: Public Apology by Shaibu’.

Parts of the letter read: “I have noted the public apology made by the deputy governor, 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.

He said though these unwarranted provocations caused him severe personal discomfort, “but, 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 in accordance with his piety.”