Obaseki Converts Deputy, Shaibu’s Office To Secretariat As Rift Deepens
The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has allocated the office formerly being used by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, as the Secretariat of the yearly Alaghodaro summit.
A source in the deputy governor’s office told Vanguard that Obaseki, in a leaked memo, asked the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, to allocate the office building of the Deputy Governor to the Trustees of the Alaghodaro Summit as their Secretariat.
It was gathered that the Chairman, through the Secretary, had written to the Governor for a permanent secretariat building to aid planning and logistics for the 2023 Alaghodaro Summit.
Naija News House had on Monday reported that Shaibu was denied access to his office at the Government House in Benin, the state capital.
Shaibu had arrived at the Government House on Monday morning but met the gate leading to his office under lock and key.
According to him, he was yet to receive a formal letter from the governor’s office over the directive pertaining to his relocation to a new office.
Meanwhile, the leaked memo said the deputy governor’s office space being close to the venue of the summit should be allocated to the Board of Trustees of the Alaghodaro Summit.
According to a Government House source, who works with the Trustees, the Summit which will take place in the second week of November this year, will attract potential investors from different parts of Nigeria.
The source further hinted the importance of the trustees having their Secretariat close to the venue of the Summit.
The leaked memo is dated the 18th of September 2023. The allocation, in the words of Governor Obaseki, is to take immediate effect.
Over the past few weeks, Obaseki and Shaibu have been at loggerheads over issues pertaining to the alleged impeachment plot against the deputy governor.
In July, the deputy governor approached a Federal High Court in Abuja with a suit to prevent the plot.
However, the governor and the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, denied such move.
Obaseki subsequently accused Shaibu of orchestrating a plan to kick him out of office.
The governor further said he had become desperate to succeed him.
