The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has publicly accused his deputy, Philip Shaibu, of orchestrating manipulation within the state’s National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) election in a bid to further his own gubernatorial ambitions.
Governor Obaseki made these claims during a gathering in Benin City over the weekend, as part of the International Youth Day celebrations at the Youth House.
The event was marked by a sense of controversy, as a group of youths expressed their dissatisfaction with the emergence of the former leadership of the Edo State chapter of the NYCN.
In response to the protests, Governor Obaseki advocated for the dissolution of the current executive council and urged for fresh elections to be held.
Addressing the ongoing crisis within the Youth Council during the celebration, Obaseki raised allegations against Deputy Governor Shaibu, asserting that his actions were covertly aimed at advancing his personal political aspirations through the youth council.
“I would like to extend my apologies for the regrettable incident that transpired during the youth council election. Regrettably, it took place without my prior knowledge. It’s evident that my deputy, unbeknownst to me, manipulated the election. This was driven by his political ambitions, as he believed that leveraging the council could be instrumental in attaining his political objectives,” Obaseki stated.
