The crisis between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Rt Hon Philip Shaibu took a new twist as the Edo South Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Hon Valentine Asuen who is into oil and as business accused the deputy governor of using of his position to choke people in that business to create a monopoly in the petrol business by using his position to assault oil marketers.
But in a swift reaction, Shaibu through his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Ebomhiana described Asuen as a frustrated politician who is childish and playing up the ethnic card in the state.
Ausen, popularly called DVD had taken to the social media to berate Shaibu while identifying him as being responsible for the fall out between Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
He recalled that in 2022 at the peak of his senatorial election campaign, Shaibu impounded two of his Empty Trucks parked by his Petrol Station at Murtala Mohammed Way in Benin City adding that after all entreaties failed and he was made to pay six million naira before the trucks were released.
He said “MM Way is a federal road and at the same time my trucks were not parked on the right of way but Philip, trying to witch hunt me, went to seize the trucks on a Sunday morning.
“We rushed from church to Shaibu’s residence, we saw him, I tried to reach his wife but she avoided us hence my wife followed me to Shaibu’s house, appealed to him and he assured me that the trucks will be released the following day and he said he will do it because of my wife and little child that went with us, at that moment I saw him as a man of conscience and I believed him, the following day I called him when I learnt that my trucks had not been released, he did not pick my calls and for two weeks my trucks were seized, I sent people to appeal but he insisted that I must pay N6 million naira, even in Lagos state that has very organized LASTMA will not collect N6m for a truck that is causing obstruction.”
He said “I have come to tell Edo people and particularly the Benin that Philip is not a friend to the Benin, Obaseki that I know will not go to Auchi, will not go to Edo North to crumble or to interrupt an Etsako man’s business but he came to Benin to interrupt my business.
“He took my simplicity, my innocence he took my peaceful attributes for weakness but I want him to know that I am a true son of Edo
“We brought him into the oil and gas industry when he was already deputy governor and he was now using government to oppress us, he was now using government to truncate our businesses, Obaseki is not aware of this treacherous act that you displayed, Obasei created an enabling environment for oil and gas marketers in Edo because he believes that he must work with the private sector to create jobs and that is where DVD comes in which is to create jobs and put food on the tables of families in Benin but Philip tried to oppress us because he sees as some of his competitors in the industry.
“Our interest is a better Edo, APC then AC as at 2007 has a 30 years development plan for Edo which will bring dividends to the people of Edo state
He said Obaseki started very well and that his work are still in progress but that it was Shaibu that came between Obaseki and Oshiomhole who he accused of also creating animosity among the people of Edo state. “I foresee personally that one day the two (Obaseki and Oshiomhole) will sit down eyeball to eyeball and talk.”
Talking about Oshiomhole’s achievements, Asuen said “Oshiomhole performed very well, his legacies are there ranging from Inter State Roads and the ones in Benin City including Silko , Upper Mission, Second East Circular Road, Five Junction, Second West Circular, dualisation of Akpakpava, Mission Roads and so many others, the building of the New Arm of the Specialist Hospital Emergency Ward , Renovation of General Hospitals and Health Centres Across the State, Red Roof Revolution, Edo university Uzairue, these achievements are still fresh in the minds of Edo People” adding that towards the end of Oshiomhole’s tenure, they looked for a competent and dependable person who will fit into the ideals of the party and sustain the 30 years developmental plan which he said threw up Obaseki but Shaibu became the stumbling block.
Asuen playing Ethnic card – Shaibu
Shaibu through his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Ebomhiana accused Asuen of being frustrated saying that “It’s very interesting and laughable that Valentine Asuen, a self-acclaimed oil magnate has decided to pour his venom on an innocent man, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu at this time.
“He claimed that the Deputy Governor seized two of his trucks and made to cough out 6million naira for violating traffic rules in the state. But why has Valentine chosen to cry out at this time? Was the money paid into the personal account of Shaibu or into the state’s coffers?
“Did Shaibu perform those functions in his private or in his official capacity as Edo State Deputy Governor?
“Did the truck violate the Edo State traffic rules and regulations or not? Was it only DVD’s trucks that were impounded in the course of that joint operation carried out by EDSTMA, PUWOV, EDO STATE SECURITY NETWORK AND THE POLICE? These are some of the salient questions Valentine Asuen should provide answers to.
“For the record, a committee was set up by the state government to decongest traffic build-up mainly caused by trucks parked indiscriminately by the road side on MM Way, Oluku by Seven Up, Agbor Road by Guinness and of course on Sapele Road by Obe. The then Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN was chairman of that Committee with heads of aforementioned security agencies in the state as members. The Committee carried out its assignment on behalf of the state without prejudice to anybody or group of persons.
“Again, Asuen in his ranting, tried to play the ethnic card, cataloguing his family background, instead of addressing the real issue. This is rather childish. He is nothing but an ethnic bigot, a failed politician and an opportunist.”