The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, on Thursday, apologised to Gov. Godwin Obaseki and asked for his forgiveness if he had offended him unknowingly to enable them finish well and strong.

Mr Shaibu has been at loggerheads with Mr Obaseki over his ambition to contest the forthcoming 2024 governorship election.

The governor has relocated his deputy to another office outside the government house while his media crew has been disbanded.

Mr Shaibu made the apology while speaking to newsmen shortly after his investiture as the grand patron of the Catholic Men’s Organisation (CMO) of the Catholic Archdioceses of Benin.

“Like I have always said, I am a loyal servant and there is nothing that has changed. I took a vow to support my governor and that is what I will do. As you can see the Catholic people are here.

“I can only wish that the relationship we had is sustained. I prayed and know that in the next few weeks, it will come back.

“I am missing my governor and I prayed that God will touch my governor’s heart and the heart of those that are trying to come in between us to know that I mean well

“If there is any mistake I have made, I am just human and did not act out of wickedness because I am not wicked and I have a clean heart,” he said.

Mr Shaibu called on the governor to forgive him so as to develop the state together with him.

“I used this medium to appeal to Mr Governor that if there is any mistake I have made or if there anything that I have done that I do not know of, he should please forgive me so that we can develop our state together.

“So, Mr Governor if there is anything wrong you feel I have done please, I am sorry, and I need us to work together to finish well and strong because that is my prayer for you,” he added.

He disclosed that he has resumed in his new office as directed by the governor.

Earlier, the Catholic Men’s Organisation of Nigeria (CMO) of the Archdiocese of Benin City said they came to honour Mr Shaibu as the grand patron of the organisation.

The president of the Archdiocese of Benin CMO, Austin Odigie, said the decision to honour him was a result of his commitment to God’s work in the church.

Mr Odigie said “the Catholic Men’s Organisation of the Archdiocese of Benin came to inform you that the Men in church have come to honour you as our Grand Patron.

“We have seen your commitment to all activities in the church. You have brought yourself low to the level of all of us in the church.

“You are the only deputy governor who served mass during father’s day celebration. No other deputy governor has been captured serving mass,” he said.

According to him, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Benin, Augustine Akubeze, will personally invest you on September 24 during the first mass.

Responding, Mr Shaibu thanked the CMO for the honour, adding that he will continue to serve God who has been merciful to him and his family.

According to Mr Shaibu, “l live my life in God, everything about me is God. When you remember that the life you have does not belong to you, you have no reason not to serve God.”

(NAN)