Hon-Phillip Shaibu
Hon-Phillip Shaibu

NIGERIA is in a season of politics. The politicking is reaching a feverish pitch as the political parties and their various candidates’ criss-cross the length and breadth of the country canvasing for votes. Everywhere you go, the dominant issues remain the 2015 General Elections.
The stakes are very high given the primacy of political power in any organized State, particularly in a developing society like Nigeria. This fact was clearly acknowledged by the former Ghanaian leader and foremost Pan-Africanist, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who said: “Seek ye first the political kingdom, every other thing shall be added onto you”.
Inherent in Nkrumah‘s postulation is the assumption that political power is the most potent instrument for the social and economic reconstruction of any given society. Students of power and politics believe in thin line of thought.
It is basically for this reason that the contestation for power in emerging democracies in Africa and other Third World countries is characterized by a very high level of viciousness and violence.
It is therefore not surprising that Okwudiba Nnoli, the eminent Professor emeritus of Political Science and the author of the classical book, “Ethnic Politics in Nigeria” defines politics as “those activities directly or indirectly related to the acquisition, consolidation and use of power”.
Acquiring power is one thing and deploying it to serve the good of the society is another thing altogether.
In Edo State today and in Etsako land in particular, there is one young man who is seeking power not for the trappings of office or the grandeur that comes with such exalted position; but he is doing so to serve the common good. That man is Hon. Philip Shaibu, the Majority leader in the Edo State House of Assembly and All Progressive Congress flag bearer for Etsako Federal Constituency candidate in the February generals elections.
Hon. Philip Shaibu is currently the rave of the moment in Etsako land. He is the man whose time has come. His acceptance is unprecedented as he enjoys popular support across the nooks and crannies of the three local governments that make up the Federal Constituency.
His winning the election remains is not in doubts as his performances in the state House of Assembly speak volume while his major rival in the People Democratic Party was once tested and failed the people
It is perhaps in realization of this obvious reality that the opposition party has launched ferocious but futile attacks on the candidature of Hon. Philip Shaibu. The PDP is highly rattled, hence, the desperation.
But amidst all this, Hon. Philip Shaibu remains focused, calm and calculating as he takes his campaign message of liberation and restoration to all parts of the local governmnets.
Last Friday, January 16 at the Ikelebe public field, Auchi, Hon. Philip Shaibu was presented by the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the state Chairman of the APC, Barr. Anslem Ojezua to the people in the local governments as their in-coming House of Representatives member. The proclamation was greeted with a resounding ovation; an indication of the wide acceptance and popularity of Hon. Philip Shaibu.
He is the most prepared of all those seeking to represent the people at the national assembly today, having surely but steadily occupied critical and sensitive public positions in the last two decades.
Like we noted earlier he has held key positions that have prepared him for the House of Representatives position. In his current position as the Majority leader in the Edo State House of Assembly, he chairs some critical committees in the State Assembly whose mandate and functions lie at the very heart and soul of the Assembly.
These include Chairman House Committee on Rules, Business and Government House, he was also Minority Whip of the House and Chairman House Committee on Education and now Majority leader of the House
He is always a delight to watch whenever he is addressing the House as he brings to bear on the legislative process uncommon brilliance and political sagacity. Through a combination of wits and statesmanship, he has on many occasions steered the House out of controversies and difficult situations.
Hon. Philip Shaibu has also empowered many youths and women through his numerous skills acquisition and training programmes  among many of his constituency projects scattered all over the area within the 8-year period he has been in the state Assembly as the representative of Etsako West constituency 2 in the Edo State House of Assembly. This has earned him the name Mr. Constituency projects.
According to him, it is an opportunity to offer the people genuine and adequate representation and to improve on his past records at the Edo State house of Assembly. The people need somebody who is reliable, diligent, and trustworthy with outstanding performance, someone who has legislative experience to relate with different types of people across the country and above all a performer of repute.
Hon Shaibu is one man with many parts, a man who has leadership and legislative prowell and have also distinguished himself at the Edo State House of Assembly in the last past 6 years with a records of sponsoring over thirty six (36) bills and over well hundreds motions on the floor of the house and successfully executed over 40 people oriented projects with 25 empowerments programme/donations across his constituency. With this, Hon Shaibu has received several awards and recognition from various groups and organizations, notable among them is the House of Representative National Summit and Score Card merit award for outstanding public office Holders where he was adjudged THE BEST LEGISTRATIVE OF THE YEAR.
The former NANS president and now Majority leader of Edo State House of Assembly believes that making of laws is not the only main aims of a legistrator but insisted that developing the constituency also form the integral part of their duties hence, he has been nicknamed Mr. Constituency projects.
As Hon Shaibu prepares to go for Etsako federal constituency, he promised to negotiate social security for the people and to pursue a comprehensive healthcare insurance programme for the people while also to improve on his constituency projects and to offer the people the best representation at the national assembly.
For this is the time to reward him for his good deeds to the people of the area all these years of his stewardship to the people and nation in general. It is expected that on Saturday, February 14 all eligible voters will come out en masse and vote for Hon. Philip Shaibu as the next Etsako Federal Constituency in the National House of Representatives.