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.”
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.(the Nation)
