Obaseki had said his deputy must drop his governorship ambition before the rift between them can be resolved amicably, according to several sources.
The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has accepted the apology issued by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, saying to err is human but forgiving is divine.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Philip Shaibu begged his principal to forgive him for all his “wrongdoings.”
Shaibu, who has been locked in a war of attrition with the governor over his ambition to succeed him as the next governor Edo State, had made the plea in an interview with journalists last week.
Reacting to Shaibu’s plea, Governor Obaseki had said his deputy must drop his governorship ambition before the rift between them can be resolved amicably, according to several sources.
Obaseki, who returned from his yearly holiday overseas over the weekend, stated that he would have no business with Shaibu until he demonstrated perfect commitment to him by publicly renouncing his governorship ambition.
The governor reportedly summoned all Edo executive members to Lagos for a two-day session dubbed "Exco retreat with Mr Governor."
But in a statement he personally signed, Obaseki said, “Although these unwarranted provocations caused me severe personal discomfort, as a person of faith, I am under obligation to accept this apology because as they say, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.”
“In good faith, I trust that the public apology as expressed by the Deputy Governor is genuine and followed by contrite steps to improve his conflict resolution skills. I also enjoin the Deputy Governor to guide his proxies to act in accordance with his piety.
“It is my sincere hope and that of my other colleagues in government and all well-meaning Edo people, that these rhetorics will be put to an end forthwith to enable this administration finish strong and deliver the dividends of democracy to the greatest number of Edo people over this final twelve (12) months.”