Drama as Edo Deputy Governor locked out of office
The crisis in Edo state government is escalating as the State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu was denied access to his office at the Government House in Benin, the state capital, Monday.
There are reports that Shaibu arrived at the Government House on Monday but met the gate leading to his office under lock and key.
Shaibu said he has not received an official letter from the office of the governor on the relocation of his office stating that the proper channel to transmit a directive pertaining to the relocation to a new office is the Governor’s office.
Shaibu while on a phone call to a yet-to-be-identified person said, “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.”
But some media reports indicate that 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 Shaibu claimed that the new office is abandoned and in dire need of rehabilitation.
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.