Support groups affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo state staged a protest on Tuesday against purported plans by former deputy governor Philip Shaibu to rejoin the party.
The demonstrators, numbering in the hundreds, marched through the streets of Auchi, the local government headquarters, and concluded their rally at the APC secretariat in Auchi, where they presented a communique outlining their stance.
The protesters, led by spokesperson Yakubu Musa, a former local government chairman of Etsako West LGA, voiced their staunch opposition to any potential return of Shaibu to the APC fold.
Musa argued that since Shaibu’s departure from the party in 2020, he has failed to secure victory in any election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thus asserting that his reintegration into the party would yield no benefits.
The group criticized Shaibu for his alleged involvement in the 2019 Edo House of Assembly crisis, during which 14 elected lawmakers were reportedly denied swearing-in, leaving their constituencies without representation.
The protesters appealed to key figures within the APC leadership, including National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, and former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, urging them not to entertain Shaibu’s attempts to return to the party.
In response to the demonstration, Philip Shaibu’s media aide, Musa Ebomhiana, dismissed the protesters as sponsored individuals lacking authority in determining Shaibu’s party affiliation. Ebomhiana emphasized that the decision regarding Shaibu’s reentry into the APC rests solely with the party leadership.
The protest underscores the contentious nature of Philip Shaibu’s potential return to the APC, with support groups in Etsako West LGA vehemently opposing any such move.
As the political landscape in Edo state continues to evolve, the outcome of Shaibu’s purported defection remains uncertain, pending a decision by the APC leadership.
