Shaibu Accuses Obaseki of Buying Votes with ₦73 Million, Blames Him for PDP’s Election Loss

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of bringing ₦73 million to his ward in an attempt to buy votes during Saturday’s governorship election.

Speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Monday, Shaibu alleged that Obaseki’s actions were responsible for the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.

Shaibu criticized Obaseki for his leadership style, claiming the governor acted like an autocrat. “He feels he can use money to buy his way through, unlike in 2016,” Shaibu stated. He added that Obaseki had allegedly earmarked the funds for vote buying in his ward, a tactic Shaibu found laughable.

The Deputy Governor revealed that 618 PDP leaders and 1,018 of his supporters defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), making it impossible for the PDP to secure victory. He also advised Ighodalo against challenging the election results in court, calling it an “effort in futility.”

Shaibu declared that the election loss marked the end of Obaseki’s political era in Edo State, but affirmed that it was not the end for him.