There was a brief scene on Tuesday in Abuja as Philip Shaibu and Omobayo Godwins engaged in a heated exchange over who should represent Edo State at the Former Deputy Governors’ Forum’s fourth annual national conference.
Tension arose when Omobayo was introduced as Edo’s former deputy governor, a move that drew immediate objection from Shaibu, who insisted the introduction was “wrong and misleading.”
The disagreement briefly disrupted the event as both men argued over who was the legitimate holder of the office.
Shaibu later told reporters that Omobayo’s introduction was improper, arguing that he was never duly elected but “brought in through the backdoor.”
He maintained that a court ruling had declared his removal illegal, saying the position of deputy governor was never vacant.
In his response, Omobayo said he did not impose himself on the office, describing the incident as “almost a national embarrassment.” He added that he had tried to stay calm despite the provocation.
Shaibu was impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly in April 2024 and replaced by Omobayo, but a subsequent court judgment nullified the impeachment and reinstated him.