Former Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu has commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for achieving what he claims is significant progress within just 100 days in office. According to Shaibu, Okpebholo has successfully attracted federal government support, something Shaibu and former Governor Godwin Obaseki allegedly failed to do during their time in power.
While speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Shaibu praised Okpebholo for securing financial backing from the central government, saying:
“The clever thing the governor (Okpebholo) has done which I applaud him for and which we didn’t do is the ability to go to the centre and woo the centre for support.”
He further explained that this federal assistance would allow Edo State to channel its own funds into other development projects, accelerating progress in the state.
Political Games and Shifting Allegiances
But let’s be honest, when did Okpebholo enter office that he has suddenly outperformed Obaseki? Shaibu, who once stood by Obaseki, is now singing a new tune, and we all know why. This isn’t about governance, it’s about politics.
Obaseki’s administration had its flaws, but is Okpebholo really achieving unprecedented success, or is this just Shaibu distancing himself from his former political failures? He admitted that Obaseki’s government had good intentions but got caught up in political interests.
“Every government, even our own government, it was clear that we wanted to do good things, but along the line politics and interests came in,” he said.
Now, after his fallout with Obaseki, Shaibu has returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the same party under which Okpebholo secured his governorship victory. So, of course, he is suddenly supportive of the new administration.
APC, Federal Support, and the Reality of Nigerian Politics
Let’s not pretend this federal support is some magical achievement. Okpebholo is an APC governor under an APC-led federal government. It’s not surprising that the ruling party is favoring one of its own. If Obaseki had been in APC, would he have received the same treatment? Absolutely.
This is the ugly reality of Nigerian politics, progress is often not about competence but about who is in the “right” political party at the right time. What Shaibu calls Okpebholo’s “clever” strategy is just another example of how power and influence dictate development, not actual governance skills.
At the end of the day, the question remains: Is Okpebholo truly making Edo State better, or is he just benefiting from political connections?
Edo politics remains a web of alliances, betrayals, and last-minute endorsements. Philip Shaibu’s sudden admiration for Governor Okpebholo’s first 100 days in office raises a simple question, genuine praise or just another political performance to stay relevant in Edo politics?
