Governor of Edo State Godwin Obaseki has pardoned Comrade Philip Shaibu for his recent public apology.
Governor Obaseki personally signed a statement on Thursday in Benin in which he stated that the apology was in response to what he claimed was “Comrade Shaibu’s aberrant behaviour that contradicted what the people of Edo State stand for.”
A repentant Comrade Shaibu had fervently pleaded with Governor Obaseki to pardon him, if there was any way he had insulted him, in a conversation with journalists on September 21 shortly after a visit by Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) to his residence.
Accepting the apology, the governor however deplored the deputy governor for needlessly filing what he referred to as “unfounded petitions in the Nigerian courts restraining me, the State House of Assembly and Security agencies from a non-existent impeachment process.”
Governor Obaseki also chided the deputy governor for his “repeated breaches of protocol; unwarranted and unprovoked attacks in the media on my person and the state government.”
He added that the media frenzy as a result of the above and more, provided an impression of crises that has been precarious and distasteful to Edo people in the state and across the world.
He said: “Although these unwarranted provocations caused me severe personal discomfort, as a person of faith, | am under obligation to accept this apology because as they say, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.”
“In good faith, I trust that the public apology as expressed by the deputy governor is genuine and followed by contrite steps lo improve his conflict resolution skills. 1 also enjoin the deputy governor to guide his proxies to act in accordance with his piety.”
Governor Obaseki concluded: “It is my sincere hope and that of my other colleagues in government and all well-meaning Edo people, that these rhetorics will be put to an end forthwith to enable this administration finish strong and deliver the dividends of democracy to the greatest number of Edo people over this final twelve months.”
