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  • Edo Govt House saga: Obaseki, allies must be disciplined, truthful, says Shaibu

    Edo Govt House saga: Obaseki, allies must be disciplined, truthful, says Shaibu

    Philip Shaibu, Edo state deputy governor, has reportedly urged Governor Godwin Obaseki and his allies to be disciplined enough to say the simple truth always.

    One of Shaibu’s aides, who spoke in confidence with The Nation, declared that emphasis should continually be placed on honesty, and not misleading the people.

    Edo deputy governor’s aide said: “At last, the much-awaited letter from Governor Obaseki, relocating the office of his deputy, Rt. Hon. Shaibu, out of Government House, Benin City, finally came on Monday afternoon, shortly before official closing hours. 

    “The terse memo signed by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, said he was directed by His Excellency, Governor Obaseki, to relocate the office of the Deputy Governor to No. 7, Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City.

    “Surprisingly, the letter dated Friday, September 15, 2023, crawled and finally got to the office of the deputy governor at about the official closing hours on Monday, September 18, 2023.

    “The letter was hurriedly written and pushed out in the afternoon of September 18, 2023, as a face-saving measure, following the embarrassment caused the government earlier in the day, when the Deputy Governor was locked out of his office at the Government House, Benin City, without official communication to him.”

    Shaibu also declared that the embarrassment was avoidable if the right thing was done by Obaseki and his allies.

    The aide said: “Government House, Benin City’s media team (of Obaseki) claimed that the Deputy Governor had since been written to relocate out of Government House, but the letter from Edo SSG put a lie to it.

    “It became a ding-dung affair in the last two weeks, as Comrade Shaibu insisted that he was yet to receive official communication relocating his office. Persons holding high offices in trust for the people should be disciplined enough to say simple truth always.”

    Read Also: Shaibu’s drama at Govt House deepens row with Obaseki

    Our reporter also gathered on Tuesday in Benin that arrangements had been concluded by the Edo governor to unveil a renowned lawyer, Asue Ighodalo, who hails from Esanland in Edo Central Senatorial District, as his successor on November 12, 2024, when his second term would expire.

    Obaseki is an indigene of Benin in Edo South senatorial district, while Shaibu hails from Jettu in Etsako West Local Government Area in Edo North senatorial district, and was determined to succeed his boss on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Ahead of September next year’s governorship election, the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP), among others, are also strategising to pick their standard bearers from the Edo Central senatorial district, in order to give PDP a fight.

  • Shaibu’s drama at Govt House deepens row with Obaseki

    Shaibu’s drama at Govt House deepens row with Obaseki

    The rift between Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, further deepened yesterday.

    The embattled number two citizen of the state was barred from accessing his office inside the Government House, Benin-city, the state capital.

    Shaibu arrived at the office in the early hours of yesterday in company with some of his aides, but met the gates of the one-storey building hosting his office firmly locked. 

    He, however, left  about an hour after interacting with some security personnel who informed him that the office was locked following a “directive from above.”

    A member of his disbanded media flayed the development, saying there was no official communication informing Shaibu that his office had been relocated.

    Eight days ago, the state government relocated the deputy governor’s office to the  Government Reservation Area(GRA) in Benin allegedly on the orders of Obaseki.

    The relocation was done a few days after the deputy governor withdrew from the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, a suit in which he requested that an alleged plot by the state House of Assembly to impeach him  be halted

    Read Also: Edo crisis: Why Shaibu is yet to move to new office – Aide

    The  new office has a signboard with a Coat of Arms and bold inscription:   “Office of the Deputy Governor, No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City.” 

    Also visible at the entrance of the one-storey building is an unveiled inauguration plaque with this inscription: “Edo State Public Procurement Agency – This building was commissioned by His Excellency, The Comrade Governor, Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, MNI, OON, Edo State Governor, on Tuesday, 16th December 2014.”

    Civil servants attached to Shaibu’s office were the first to relocate on Monday last week.  Others joined based on memos to that effect from an unnamed permanent secretary in the Government House.

    A   source said before the deputy governor left the Government House premises,  he  had “some discussions with the state’s Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), alerting them of how he was locked out from his office.”

    He added: “Comrade Shaibu summoned the Government House, Benin City’s Camp Commandant, Ibrahim Babatunde and asked him why he was locked out of his office. But Babatunde told him  ‘it was a directive from above.

    “Babatunde also told him  ‘that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Government House, Williams Wabba, is in a better position to explain.’

    “The  deputy governor put calls to   Wabba  and he promised to  be there, but never did all through the period Comrade Shaibu waited.”

    One of the aides of Obaseki, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, defended the action by the government.

    He said:  “Shaibu’s office has since been relocated.  His office issued a statement to that effect. When they moved their office equipment, his office also issued a statement to that effect.

    “So, which of the offices are they referring to? Certainly, not the new office, because it is open and his staff members are operating from there. Why would he come to the complex housing the governor’s office? He is creating an issue where there is none.

    “Edo State governor has spent millions of naira furnishing a new office complex for Shaibu and his staff members. It is the prerogative of the governor to decide where he wants government officials, including the deputy governor, to operate.

    “Shaibu is trying to force his way into the governor’s office, because the governor has repossessed his former office, which is under lock and key, for renovation purposes.”

    But an aide of the deputy governor said his boss deserved to be informed of the relocation of his office in writing.  

    The aide, who did not want his name in print,  said: “All these are wicked spins from Edo State Governor’s media team. All that the Edo deputy governor is asking for is an official communication to move. The movement is not a verbal thing, because the office is a creation of the law.

    “Governor Obaseki has insisted that he does not want Edo Deputy Governor around him anymore, but he should do the right thing. We are still expecting his (Obaseki’s) letter.”

    Obaseki earlier accused Shaibu, who hails from Edo North Senatorial District of planning a  “coup.”  But the deputy governor insisted that he remained loyal to the governor. He also declared that his loyalty would not stop his ambition to succeed  Obaseki on November 12, 2024.

    Obaseki, an indigene of Benin in the Edo South Senatorial District, wants his successor to come from  Esanland/Edo Central Senatorial District to ensure fairness, equity and justice.

  • Edo crisis: Why Shaibu is yet to move to new office – Aide

    Edo crisis: Why Shaibu is yet to move to new office – Aide

    Edo state deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, is yet to move to a new office near Government House, Benin, as ordered by Governor Godwin Obaseki, due to the absence of official communication to the effect.

    Shaibu’s aide spoke in confidence with The Nation on Monday, September 18.

    The aide said: “All these are wicked spins from Edo state governor’s media team. All that the Edo deputy governor is asking for is an official communication to move. The movement is not a verbal thing, because the office is a creation of the law.

    “Governor Obaseki has insisted that he does not want Edo Deputy Governor around him anymore, but he should do the right thing. We are still expecting his (Obaseki’s) letter.”

    Read Also: Edo relocates Shaibu’s office outside Govt House

    Recall that on Monday, September 11, Shaibu, his aides and workers of his office were pushed out of Government House, Benin, on the orders of Obaseki, despite his September 5 withdrawal from the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, his anti-impeachment suit, with reference number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1027/2023.

    Shaibu’s new office is located at No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin, with a green and white signboard, having a Coat of Arms, in front of the just-renovated building, with this bold inscription on the signboard: “Office of the Deputy Governor, No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City,” at a location not far from the Government House.

    Also, at the entrance of the one-story building, is an unveiled inauguration plaque, with this inscription: “Edo State Public Procurement Agency – This building was commissioned by His Excellency, The Comrade Governor, Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, MNI, OON, Edo State Governor, on Tuesday, 16th December 2014.”

    The face-off between Obaseki and Shaibu, ahead of September next year’s governorship election, may lead to the removal/impeachment of Edo deputy governor, most likely by the 24 members of the state’s House of Assembly, in order not to succeed his boss on November 12, 2024.

  • Obaseki vs. Shaibu: Dearth of democratic ethos

    Nigeria must not despair because of her current democratic challenges. We were in the wilderness for almost 30 years after the collapse of our first democratic experiment which lasted for barely five years. This was because most of institutions democracy that the new imported value system needed to function were absent or at rudimentary stage. Our independent legislature and judiciary easily caved in with the pressure of the executive shortly after independence. The press owned by politicians and tribal groups in fact contributed to the outbreak of the civil war. The abysmal performance of the press during our recently concluded elections only confirmed the usual aphorism that ‘the medium is the news’. Of course we saw how ethnic based civil society groups and their foreign sponsored counterparts openly quarrelled over contents of their reports.

     More than this, sore losers who shopped for political platform to contest elections and their unthinking ‘Obidients’ can hardly be regarded as people with faith in democracy or its ethos, described by Aristotle as ‘balance between passion and caution” of political actors. For democracy to thrive, according to him, political actors must be committed to a set of ideals if democracy is to be anything other than the tyranny of the majority.

     We must therefore congratulate ourselves for the giant strides we have made in the last 23 years in spite of the ongoing shenanigans in Edo State. Democracy is a difficult process as America recently discovered after over 200 years. In fact when democracy first became an idea some 300 years ago, philosopher Michel de Montaigne according to James Kloppenburg’s ‘Toward Democracy’, rejected democracy saying he did not believe ordinary people were capable of the self-restraint democracy required.

    In 2016, Adams Oshiomhole, the  then outgoing governor of Edo State, using power of incumbency, imposed Godwin Obaseki  at the expense of other APC stalwarts such as Chris Ogiemwonyi (former minister of state for works) former army general Gen. Charles Arihiavbare and former deputy governor, Dr. Pius Odubu as his successor. Asked by reporters on October 24, 2016 the reason for his blind faith in Obaseki, Oshiomhole had said Obaseki was “more competent than him and would bring more development to Edo”.

    Little did he realize that Obaseki like many other military-baked new-breed politicians is a man without character. At the centre of the struggle with his benefactor was the control of Edo State House of Assembly where their ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled all the 24 members in the state Assembly.

     To prevent Oshiomhole’s loyalists from taking control of the state legislature, the Clerk of Edo House of Assembly, Yahaya Omogbai, was said to have ushered nine members in a house of 24 lawmakers-elect into the chamber at midnight and read out Obaseki’s letter of proclamation with which Honourable Frank Okiye the governor’s anointed candidate for speaker was elected.

    Hon. Osifo and the 13 others went to court to file a case against the speaker and the eight others. While the case was in court, the seats of the 14 Oshiomhole loyalists were declared vacant by the minority factional speaker and was about to conduct election to fill the positions before he was stopped by the court. All efforts to find amicable settlement by the party, the National Assembly and the president were frustrated by Obaseki’s minority that was bent on holding on to what it illegally seized.

    Read Also: Tinubu felicitates with the Alake of Egbaland at 80

    From then on Obaseki won all the battles. First Obaseki sought and got a relief from Justice Kolawole Omotosho’s Federal High Court Abuja to frustrate the Senate and the House of Representatives resolutions on the findings of committees led by Senator Sabiu Aliyu Abdullahi and Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas for the respective chambers to invoke section 11, subsection 4 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria viz: “In the event that a new proclamation is not issued as recommended within the period of three weeks”,  the National Assembly was told “it could not compel Obaseki to issue another proclamation within the lifespan of an existing proclamation”. The court also ruled “NASS lacked the power to take over the functions of Edo Assembly or any other state House of Assembly in the country”.

    Obaseki who had earlier attributed the underdevelopment of Edo until 2006 to “non-state actors empowered by political class, collecting revenues as an alternative government and constituted themselves into an army that were used for political activities”, decided to partner with the same non-state actors as 2020 drew near.

    He then made peace with Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Bénin Kingdom and a chieftain of PDP  who was fought to a standstill by Oshiomhole for allegedly confiscating land and other resources of the state and whose son, Lucky Igbinedion, a two-term governor was indicted for financial crimes against Edo State. He also made peace with Chief Tom Ikimi, a former PDP stalwart, who retraced his way back after a short sojourn in APC. Igbinedion and Tom Ikimi, PDP stalwarts became Obaseki new godfathers.

    PDP withdrew its accusation through its publicity secretary, Chris Nehikhare that Obaseki was responsible for the “growing level of poverty, insecurity and unemployment”.  The party also swallowed its allegations that “commissioned” Five-star specialist hospital is still home to reptiles; Tayo Akpata University of Education, an unfulfilled political Greek gift, College of Agriculture Ogierieki, a victim of policy lip-service, the Gelegele sea port project is still a mirage and the industrial park is still at the MOU level”.

    Obaseki, a blind fighter went on to win his re-election bid on the platform of PDP but not before engineering the removal of his estranged godfather as APC chairman. Obaseki defeated his former godfather with the active support of Shuaibu who ensured that the 14 elected members of Edo State house were shut out of the house for four years.

    Now Obaseki, the blind fighter has stripped Shuaibu, his deputy of his official responsibilities including monitoring and reporting the collection of internally generated revenue and supervision of the sports ministry. He did not stop there; he sacked media aides attached to his office and relocated his deputy’s office to Siberia, all because Shuaibu expressed interest in succeeding him.

    What goes around comes around. Shuaibu has also been told by Senator Oshiomhole, that “APC has no room for internally displaced politicians (IDP) in search of a rehabilitation camp”. Obaseki like Shuaibu and their other military baked new-breed military baked politicians, are all men without character

    But we must not weep for Edo alone. Over 50% of governors elected on PDP platform in 1998 and 2003 were declared men without character by the courts that found them guilty of tampering with the resources of their various states. The first set of senators after the 1998 elections spoke openly about their desire to recoup their expenses on the election. Within three months they had come out with schemes through which fuel import licenses were allocated to over 100 companies fronting for them. A house probe was to later confirm the theft of about N1.7t through the fuel subsidy regime

    PDP and APC are no party of saints. Bukola Saraki damaged the fortune of his party by moving from PDP to APC. In APC, he admitted trading off the victory of his party to secure the senate presidency and when he fell out with APC, he again moved back to PDP. In his group were Tambuwal and Rotimi Amaechi, Tony Anenih among others.

    PDP, described as “a club of elites for sharing of oil rents and political spoils’ while APC its twin brother formed not on the basis of shared ideas, shared values, shared commitment, have left the nation with only military baked ‘new-breed’ politicians that lack character.

  • Edo relocates Shaibu’s office outside Govt House

    Edo relocates Shaibu’s office outside Govt House

    Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, his aides and those deployed to work with him have been relocated from the Government House, Benin.

    Their relocation was on the orders of Governor Godwin Obaseki, notwithstanding Shaibu’s September 5 withdrawal of an anti-impeachment suit he filed at the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja.

    Our reporter, who was yesterday at Government House on Dennis Osadebey Avenue in the Government Reservation Area (GRA), saw many workers in the deputy governor’s office moving their items in many vehicles to the new office located outside the seat of power.

    The civil servants were the first to relocate, while others later joined them, based on the memos to the effect from an unnamed permanent secretary in Government House.

    Shaibu’s new office is located on No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin. It has on its frontage a green and white signboard having the Coat of Arms.

    The renovated building has “Office of the Deputy Governor” inscription at a location not far from the Government House.

    Seen also at the entrance of the one-storey building is an inauguration plaque, with an inscription: “Edo State Public Procurement Agency – This building was commissioned by His Excellency, The Comrade Governor, Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, MNI, OON, Edo State Governor, on Tuesday, 16th December, 2014.”

    Read Also: Governor’s wife lifts 400 indigent students with school bags, others

    Aides to Obaseki and Shaibu declined to respond to the relocation.

    Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives, instructed his lawyers to withdraw the suit. He described Obaseki as his boss and senior brother.

    Defendants in the suit were the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Department of State Services (DSS), Edo Governor, and the Chief Judge of Edo State.

     Shaibu said: “Arising from the series of meetings held with me, and also with Mr. Governor, by well-meaning Edolites, and indeed Nigerians, including party (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) leaders, traditional rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, the Archbishop of Benin Archdiocese (of Catholic Church), on the issues that led to my going to court, on the above-named suit, and with all due respect to these eminent personalities and leaders, whose persuasions and persons I cannot ignore, I, Rt. Hon. (Comrade) Philip Shaibu, have authorised and instructed my solicitors to withdraw the suit forthwith.

    “I wish to sincerely thank and appreciate these well-meaning Nigerians, party leaders, traditional rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, for their kind words, advice and encouragement thus far, in ensuring peace and unity in our dear state, Edo.

    “I also wish to place on record, my special thanks to Mr. Governor, my boss and senior brother, for this path of peace.”

    Obaseki had accused his deputy, who hails from Edo North Senatorial District, of planning a coup against him, but Edo deputy governor insisted that he remained loyal to the state’s governor, but declared that his loyalty would not stop his ambition to succeed his boss on November 12, 2024.

    The governor, an indigene of Benin in Edo South senatorial district, wants his successor to be from Esanland/Edo Central senatorial district, in order to ensure fairness, equity and justice.

  • Shaibu withdraws suit against ‘senior brother’ Obaseki

    Shaibu withdraws suit against ‘senior brother’ Obaseki

    Edo Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu has withdrawn the anti-impeachment suit filed at the High Court Abuja with reference number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1027/2023 against Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, in a statement he personally signed, also described Obaseki as his boss and senior brother.

    Defendants in the suit were the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Department of State Services (DSS), Edo Governor and the Chief Judge of Edo State.

    He said: “Arising from the series of meetings held with me, and also with Mr. Governor, by well-meaning Edolites, and indeed Nigerians, including party (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) leaders, traditional rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, the Archbishop of Benin Archdiocese (of Catholic Church), on the issues that led to my going to court, on the above-named suit, and with all due respect to these eminent personalities and leaders, whose persuasions and persons I cannot ignore, I, Rt. Hon. (Comrade) Philip Shaibu, have authorised and instructed my solicitors to withdraw the suit forthwith.

    Read Also: Obaseki, APC chair clash over Edo council poll’s results

    “I wish to sincerely thank and appreciate these well-meaning Nigerians, party leaders, traditional rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, for their kind words, advice and encouragement thus far, in ensuring peace and unity in our dear state, Edo.

    “I also wish to place on record, my special thanks to Mr. Governor, my boss and senior brother, for this path of peace.”

    Obaseki had accused Shaibu, who hails from Edo North, of planning coup against him but the Edo Deputy Governor insisted he remained loyal. 

    He however declared his loyalty would not stop his ambition to succeed Obaseki on November 12, 2024.

    Edo Governor, an indigene of Benin in Edo South, wants his successor to emerge from Esanland/Edo Central senatorial district, to ensure fairness, equity and justice.

  • Obaseki/Shaibu rift: Deputy Gov’s Office moved out of Govt House

    Obaseki/Shaibu rift: Deputy Gov’s Office moved out of Govt House

    The saga between the Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu has deepened with the office of the Deputy Governor moved to a facility outside the Government House.

    The NATION gathered that the new office is located at no 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, close to the Government House.

    The new office used to be the State Public Procurement Office commissioned by former Governor, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, on December 16, 2014.

    It is observed that there’s sign board at the entrance of the building with the inscription, “Office of The Deputy Governor”.

    When contacted, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said:“If there is a government sign board saying so, then it must be so.

    The battle for succession has pitched the Deputy Governor against Obaseki.

    Read Also: Obaseki free to fix federal roads in Edo, says minister

    Shaibu, who hails from Edo North, intends to succeed Obaseki, an indigene of Benin in Edo South senatorial district but the Governor is pushing for a successor from Esanland in Edo Central senatorial district.

    The Nation had reported that Shaibu staged a walkout after his assistants were ejected from a government event last week. 

    The incident happened barely 24 hours after a Department of State Services (DSS) operative denied Shaibu access to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Sunday during a church service. 

  • Obaseki fires Shaibu’s media aides as rift widens

    Obaseki fires Shaibu’s media aides as rift widens

    Deputy governor storms out of stakeholders’ colloquium venue

    The rift between Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy Philip Shaibu worsened yesterday.

    Shaibu stormed out of the venue of a stakeholders’ colloquium following an allegedly attack on his media crew by the governor’s security aides.

    The government announced the disbandment of the crew last night.

    The colloquium was organised by the Obaseki administration to mark the 60th anniversary Midwest referendum and the 32nd anniversary of the creation of Edo State from the defunct Bendel State.

    The two-in-one event, with the theme: “60 years after the referendum: Which way midwest?” was held at Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin, the state capital, within the premises of the state government-owned Nigerian Observer newspaper on Airport Road.

    Our correspondent learnt that Shaibu’s media crew was attacked midway into the programme by the security operatives while Obaseki, top government functionaries and guests had taken their seats.

    The governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Andrew Okungbowa and a Public Relations Officer in the governor’s office, Ms. Osarumwense Margaret Ojo, were introducing Shaibu’s media crew when the security personnel attached to Obaseki’s office forced them out of the venue.

    With his pleas unheeded by the personnel, the deputy governor said he could not be in an event where his media crew was barred.

    He subsequently left the venue.

    The governor reportedly expressed shock at the weekend over the resumption of his deputy, who returned from the United States (U.S.) after his vacation.

    Read Also: Why we dropped Sanwo-Olu’s nominees, by Obasa

     Obaseki, it was rumoured, was contemplating to relocate Shaibu’s office to avoid his deputy.

    Shaibu’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS) Ebomhiana Musa declined comment when asked for reaction.

    “I have no comment, because I was not at the venue of Monday’s event at Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, Benin City,” he said.

    He later reacted to the disbandment of the media crew.

    Wielding the big stick on Shaibu’s media crew, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, announced its disbandment.

    In a statement, Nehikhare said: “Edo State government has disbanded the media crew attached to the Office of the Deputy Governor, with a directive to the Deputy Governor to henceforth request the Ministry of Communication and Orientation for media coverage of activities of his office.

    “This directive followed the ugly and unfortunate incident that happened during the colloquium held to mark the 60th anniversary of Midwest referendum and celebration of 30 years of creating Edo State from the defunct Bendel State, held at Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub and Soundstage, where some journalists, who claimed to be the media crew of the Deputy Governor, attempted to force their way into the hall, where the governor and other invited dignitaries were already seated.

    “This act was contrary to the accredited protocol that had been established for the media coverage of the event. The orchestrated and stage-managed walkout, and disruption is highly regrettable.”

    But the deputy governor said the commissioner twisted the fact. He reacted reacting through his spokesman Ebomhiana Musa.

    He described the commissioner’s claim as “silly, senseless, white and ridiculous lies against him and his media crew”.

    Shaibu stated that he and his media crew were already inside the venue and never breached protocol or attempted to force their way into the hall.

    The Obaseki had accused Shaibu of planning a coup against him.

    But on Sunday, the deputy governor insisted that he remained loyal to the governor, who he described as his “elder brother and boss”.

    The deputy governor has instituted an anti-impeachment suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

  • VIDEO: Edo Deputy Gov Shaibu storms out of event after DSS bars aides from venue

    VIDEO: Edo Deputy Gov Shaibu storms out of event after DSS bars aides from venue

    Edo Deputy Gov Shaibu storms out of event after DSS bars aides from venue

  • Drama as DSS blocks Shaibu from greeting Obaseki in Church

    Drama as DSS blocks Shaibu from greeting Obaseki in Church

    The simmering crisis between Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, took a new twist on Sunday, August 27, as the Department of State Services (DSS), denied him access to the governor.

    The incident happened at the New Festival Hall of Government House, Benin, on Sunday, at a church service to mark the 32nd anniversary of the creation of Edo State.

    Shaibu, who was one of the guests, stood up to greet Obaseki, but a DSS operative blocked him just a few metres away.

    Read Also: Shaibu pledges absolute loyalty to Obaseki

    Obaseki, who sat beside his wife, Betsy, and Charles Aniagwu, a Commissioner of Delta State, looked away as Shaibu fruitlessly explained to the plain-cloth security operative who stood his ground.

    The deputy governor later returned to his seat.

    However, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Andrew Okungbowa, while commenting on the issue said the DSS operative was only doing his job.

    He said: “Whatever happened at the church service was not at the behest of the governor, neither was he aware of what the security aides were doing. In fact, the security aides were doing their job. Besides, the governor was not aware that the deputy was coming to greet him. The church is a public event, so the security aides had a duty to safeguard their principal.”