The Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Philip Shuaibu, on Tuesday, has told journalists that for the past six months he had not received the allocation to his office and has been carrying out his operations by personal sacrifices and goodwill.
He made this known at the commissioning of the secretariat of the Correspondents Chapel of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ.
Shuaibu said that as an aspirant for the Edo State 2024 governorship election, he would not seize to identify with the media which saved his life during the military rule before the return to democracy in 1999.
In his word, “I am your ambassador anywhere I am. This not because of politics, but because of what you have done to save my life in the cause of doing your work.
“I wouldn’t have been deputy governor today if I am not alive. A journalist investigated and wrote a report that saved my life in the hands of the military. So, you can see why any time you invite me, even if it is difficult, I must show up. Because that is the only way I can appreciate and encourage you in what you are doing”
‘How I’ve been surviving’
“I would have done more, but you know there is tension between the governor and I. And for six months, no allocation to my office, so whatever I am doing is contributions from friends and my goodwill. And I am still standing very strong.
“I will continue to be strong because for me, Edo should be one. Edo, at every time, should be paramount in our minds. I am determined to make it what it ought to be and I am determined to make sure that good governance is seen, felt and touched”.
“I am also determined to making sure that in all things, Edo must be first and I am determined to strengthening institutions.
I came into politics because I feel that we should have an egalitarian society and to strengthen institutions, that is the only way you can have that society of our dream.
“When institutions are strong, you deal with those guys that think they are powerful, moderate their excesses, and also promote and help the weak in the society. Institution do not know the rich, strong, and the poor. It takes care of all strata of life. That is what I am standing for, that is my calling to joining politics”.
“That is why I have sacrificed a lot of things to make sure the Institution call Edo works. I even my personal entitlement and in the coming weeks, I will give a stewardship of what I have done as deputy governor from 2016.
I will catalogue my entitlement, that I had to forfeit for peace and tranquility and I will also catalogue some of the things that I have been asked to do as deputy governor of which I have done credibly well.
“My loyalty is not purchased but genuine, real to Edo people and to make institutions strong,” Shuaibu added.
There were also other aspirants who made it to that commissioning; Anslem Ojezua, former governor, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor and Sen. Matthew Uroghide were represented.
