Philip Shaibu

The impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has stated that any gubernatorial candidate who cannot speak the Edo dialect should not be allowed to lead the state.

He stated this on Monday during the Edo Central PDP leaders and stakeholders meeting held in Irrua, the administrative headquarters of Esan Central Local Government Area of the state.

The former deputy governor stated that he would support only a homeboy to become the governor of the state.

He added that a candidate who needed the help of an interpreter did not qualify as a homeboy because of his inability to speak the dialect of the Edo people.

He said, “Today, we have decided that a homeboy that we know will become the governor of Edo State. You already know that Edo, born in Lagos State, is not a homeboy.

“Is somebody who comes here with an interpreter a homeboy? So, if that is a minus, it means we will look for a homeboy.”

Shaibu’s comment might be connected to a development in which the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, hired an interpreter to announce his intention to his kinsmen at a ward in the Ewohimi area of the state.

In a viral video, Ighodalo, vying for the PDP ticket then, addressed the crowd in English to seek their support while an interpreter translated his words into Esan.