Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, has stated that despite their differences during the 2020 governorship election, Adams Oshiomhole, the former Governor, is still like a father to him.

He further said he would find time to apologise to Oshiomole for the improper words he used against him in the last governorship election in the state, adding that his rift with the governor astarted after he congratulated the ex-governor for his senatorial victory in the 2023 elections.

Shaibu on Monday declared his intention to run for governor in the 2024 election in the state, under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He made this known while appearing on Channels TV Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.

His words: “My relationship with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is cordial. When I mean cordial, he is still my father. Political, we are in different political parties.

“I am happy that the governor (Obaseki) has started inviting the former governor (Oshiomhole) and my father to political functions. That is what I have been praying for.

“And now that he has started, I think that the next step is for me to reach him and also first apologise to him (Oshiomhole) for some use of words during the election but in terms of principle of supporting Obaseki, I will still support Obaseki because God told me that is the right thing to do.

“One of the crises that I had was when I went to the Senate to congratulate Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and I was seen in a viral video. That was where my headache started because the governor’s style is that a friend of the governor, you must be friend to him and an enemy to the governor, you must be enemy to him. I understand that principle and I am being careful.

“What I was waiting for was for the governor to make that move because I will not make that move if the governor had not made the move. Now that he has made the move to be inviting Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, I am emboldened to go and see him,” he said.