Edo dep. gov. Shaibu, APC chieftain in war of words over ₦6m fine

By Jethro Ibileke

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, Valentine Asuen, has accused the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, of allegedly extorting ₦6 million from him in the guise of fine for traffic violation.

Asuen who was Edo south senatorial candidate of the party in the last national assembly election, made the allegation in a viral video.

The embattled deputy governor however accused Asuen of seeking to cash in on the raging feud between him and the state Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, for “personal and pecuniary” gains.

Shaibu in a statement titled “Valentine Asuen: The rantings of a frustrated politician”, by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Musa Ebomhiana, described Asuen’s allegation as “a futile effort by a frustrated politician and oil magnet to tarnish his reputation.”

The statement reads:

“It’s very interesting and laughable that Valentine Asuen, a self acclaimed oil magnet has decided to pour his venom on an innocent man, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu at this time.

“He claimed that the Deputy Governor seized two of his trucks and made his to cough out 6 million Naira for violating traffick rules in the state. But why has Valentine chosen to cry out at this time?

“Was the money paid into the personal account of Shaibu or into the state’s coffers? Did Shaibu perform those functions in his private or in his official capacity as Edo State Deputy Governor?

“Did the truck violate the Edo State traffick rules and regulations or not? Was it only DVD trucks that were impounded in the course of that joint operation carried out by EDSTMA, POWOF, EDO STATE SECURITY NETWORK AND THE POLICE?

“These are some of the salient questions Valentine Asuen should provide answers. He violated the state government’s traffic laws, pleaded with the Deputy Governor to allow him pay the fine instead of going to court.

“How can Asuen now turn around after about one year to whip up cheap public sentiments? For the record, a committee was set up by the state government to decongest traffic build-up mainly caused by trucks parked indiscriminately by the road side on MM Way, Oluku by Seven Up, Agbor Road by Guinness and of course on Sapele Road by Obe.

“The then Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, was chairman of that Committee with heads of aforementioned security agencies in the state as members. The Committee carried out its assignment on behalf of the state without prejudice to any body or group of persons.

“Again, Asuen in his ranting in Benin this afternoon, tried to play the ethnic card, cataloguing his family background, instead of addressing the real issue. This is rather childish. He is nothing but an ethnic bigot, a failed politician and an opportunist,” the statement concluded.