The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, on Monday said he has been pressed and persecuted since his intention to succeed his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, was revealed.

The deputy governor said he had put his life on the line for the development and growth of the state, and he was determined to make the South-South state great again.

Shaibu, who has been having a running battle with Governor Obaseki for months over his political ambition, said though he was persecuted, he was not abandoned.

The deputy governor also stated that though he was pressed, he was not crushed, adding that he had been badly hurt but not destroyed.

“I have been pressed but not crushed, persecuted but not abandoned, badly hurt but not destroyed. I resonate with the tireless and irrepressible Spirit of the Edo People. By the grace of God, nothing and no one can stop us. After all, I’m an original Edo son…100% homeboy.

“This is why today, I stand before you with great conviction and resolve as I declare my intention to run for the office of the Governor of Edo State under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming 2024 election and I am confident that with your support, we can take Edo State to even greater heights.”