Former Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for his strategic approach to governance, acknowledging that the new administration has achieved a significant milestone within its first 100 days in office.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Shaibu praised Okpebholo’s ability to attract federal support, a move he admitted was overlooked during his tenure alongside former Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“The clever thing the governor has done, which I applaud him for and which we didn’t do, is the ability to go to the centre and woo the Federal Government for support,” Shaibu said.
According to him, securing assistance from the central government frees up state resources for more developmental projects—something that could have accelerated Edo’s growth under their administration but was not fully explored.
Shaibu, who served as Obaseki’s deputy before their political fallout, reflected on the challenges they faced in governance, attributing some missed opportunities to political distractions and conflicting interests.
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“Every government wants to do good things, but along the line, politics and interests come in,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of prayers and public support for Governor Okpebholo’s success.
Shaibu and Obaseki’s political alliance collapsed in the lead-up to the 2024 Edo governorship election, ultimately leading to Shaibu’s return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a surprising turn, he has now chosen to rally behind Okpebholo, the APC-backed governor, urging Edo citizens to not only support but also pray for his success to prevent governance from taking a negative turn.
With Okpebholo’s administration off to a promising start, Shaibu’s remarks highlight a rare moment of political humility and bipartisan recognition, raising questions about what might have been if past administrations had leveraged federal collaboration more effectively.