The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has accepted the public apology made by his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, acknowledging that making mistakes is a part of being human, but forgiveness is a divine act.

The governor and his deputy have been in disagreement over Shaibu’s aspiration to lead the oil-rich state.

However, last week, the deputy governor humbly asked for forgiveness from his superior regarding their political differences.

“I use this medium to appeal to Mr Governor, if there is anything that I don’t know that I have done, please forgive me so that we can develop our state together,” he said in Benin while addressing journalists.

A week later, the governor personally issued a statement, accepting the apology but also stating that the petitions signed by his deputy, which restrained him and security agencies from commencing impeachment proceedings, were unwarranted provocations.

He further dismissed the alleged impeachment as non-existent. The governor felt obligated to accept the apology.

The governor expressed his trust in the sincerity of Shaibu’s public apology and hopes that it is accompanied by genuine efforts to improve his Conflict Resolution Skills.

He 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.”