The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu has expressed his readiness to handover office to the newly elected governor and deputy governor of the state, whether the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki was present or not.

Shuaibu spoke with Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.

Shuaibu’s clarification comes following rumours that Obaseki was nowhere to be found in the state.

Obaseki had on Monday, granted pardon to 10 inmates with less than one year to serve their terms in correctional centres in the state.

The pardon, in exercise of the governor’s prerogative of mercy, was contained in a statement by the Office of the Special Adviser, Media, Governor’s Office, headed by Crusoe Osagie.

Obaseki ended his tenure as governor on Monday and will today hand over power to the incoming governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo.

Okphebholo’s emergence came after his victory in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in the state, having defeated his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo.

However, as news of his alleged disappearance from the state goes viral, Shuaibu said he was “deeply happy” to be handing over Okpebholo and his deputy.

He said, “I am deeply happy that today has come and I am going to be handing over to a new deputy governor.

“The governor and I have been apart. He does not communicate with me and we don’t talk. It is very unfortunate. I have not been able to see him in the last four days. Normally, if the governor is not there, the deputy governor will hand over. So whether he is there or not, I am ready to hand over”.

When asked what his experience was working with the outgoing governor, Shuaibu said although he was loyal to Obaseki, he “went through a lot” during the administration.

“Yes. I am back in APC. I am one of the very young guys that started the APC in Edo State. Because of loyalty, I went with my governor. I decamped from APC to PDP not because I wanted to, but because I wanted to but because I was loyal to Obeseki. I left APC because of him, and I am back to APC because of him.

“I thank him for the opportunity to be able to reunite with my father, Oshimole who I quarrelled with because of Obaseki”.

Okpebholo becomes the fifth governor of the state since the Fourth Republic commenced in 1999.