The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, said he was denied access to his former office at the Government House in Benin, the state’s capital, on Monday morning,
He stated that he arrived at the Government House only to discover that the gate leading to his office had been locked, as reported by Channels TV
Shaibu expressed his bewilderment, stating that he had not received any formal communication from the governor’s office regarding the need to relocate.
“Up till now, I don’t have any official communication that I should relocate. The only people that have official communication are my civil servants. The civil servants have official communication but I don’t. As I am speaking to you now, I am standing by the gate,” he said while on a phone call to a yet-to-be-identified person.
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Last week, a letter said to be from the office of the Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa, was reported to have been sent to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor directing Shuaibu to relocate to a new office situated at No 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City.
However, sources close to Edo’s number two citizen claimed that the new office is abandoned and in dire need of rehabilitation.
GOOD EVENING NIGERIA reports that the development is the latest in the tussle between Governor Obaseki and his deputy.
While there have been speculations about plans to impeach Shaibu, the Edo Assembly has denied such.
Governor Obaseki had accused his deputy of plotting a coup against him. But Shaibu refuted the claim saying that his principal is a brother and he remains loyal to him despite their political differences.
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“As for the issues that are around town when I was away, I really would not want to talk. Issues that concern my governor are not things I like to speak about on camera. No, no, no! He is my elder brother and boss and I don’t think I should talk about anything. And if I have issues with him, I think it is better settled at home and not in the media. I am well brought up,” he said on the sidelines of a thanksgiving service in Benin to mark the 32nd anniversary of Edo State.
“I can tell you that from my Christian background if you make a vow with God that you want to do something, you must fulfill it. And the vow I have taken with God is that I will continue to support Godwin Obaseki as the governor of Edo State from the beginning to the end.
“But that does not stop anything that has to do with ambition. Ambition is personal and it does not affect loyalty. My loyalty to the governor remains absolute. I see that everybody is doing solidarity. I am also in solidarity with the governor. I am also declaring my unalloyed solidarity and loyalty to the governor and nothing more.”