The reinstated Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Phillip Shaibu, says he will join hands to build Nigeria rather than burn it down, in an apparent response to Governor Godwin Obaseki’s threats that Nigeria would “burn” if an incident like the recent Benin City Airport attack were to occur again.
In a 41-seconds viral video, Governor Obaseki, while addressing leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), warned, “I won’t say much, the rest is up to you. We just kept quiet last Thursday, if they try what happened last Thursday again in Edo, Nigeria will burn.”
“You don’t behave like that. We’ve passed that stage… We’re not animals… The first time we kept quiet, and I told all of you that you are the ones that have something to lose does not mean they should take us for granted… Those people who did it, they refused to arrest them, rather they want to come and arrest our boys. Let them try.”
The Deputy Governor spoke on Monday at a homecoming reception held in his honour at his Jattu country-home, Etsako West local government area, following his reinstatement by the court as the state’s number two citizen.
Shaibu, whose recent travails began after he declared his intention to succeed Governor Obaseki, described his ambition as a “divine calling” that will see him build the state and not burn it down as others (Obaseki) have said.
“My ambition to serve the good people of Edo was fought and to them, denied, but justice will prevail”, the deputy governor wrote on his official and verified social media pages.
“It’s a divine calling that will see me and others build our state and not BURN it down as others have said out of their desperation.”
He thanked Afemais (Edo North people) for coming out in their thousands to receive him as he returned home on a ‘thank you’ visit.
With joy in their hearts, the people ushered the court-reinstated deputy governor into the city of Auchi with songs, prayers, chants, and hailings in their loudest voices.
“My return home will see me tour houses and palaces of royal fathers, chiefs, clergymen, political bigwigs, and the people, who stood solidly behind me in the last year of my trying time against political tyrants”, Shaibu noted.