The controversy surrounding the relocation of Edo State’s deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu’s office from the government house may have reached a resolution with the emergence of an official letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie.
On Monday, Shaibu expressed his lack of awareness regarding the office relocation, asserting that he had not received any notice instructing him to vacate the government house premises for an alternative location. He clarified that only civil servants had received a letter informing them of the office move.
The letter, addressed to the deputy governor and dated September 15, 2023, was acknowledged on Monday, September 18, 2023, by a Permanent Secretary in the deputy governor’s office. The memo, titled “Relocation of Office Accommodation,” conveyed Governor Godwin Obaseki’s directive for Shaibu to relocate to the new office address, which is No 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, G.R.A., Benin City. It urged the deputy governor to ensure compliance with the governor’s approval.
The dispute between Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki emerged when the deputy governor filed a lawsuit in an Abuja Federal High Court in August, seeking protection from what he alleged was the governor’s attempt to orchestrate his impeachment through the Edo State House of Assembly and other means.
In response to the lawsuit, the governor disbanded the deputy governor’s media team and relocated his office away from the main Government House. Notably, a few weeks ago, prominent figures from the political and religious sectors intervened in the conflict, leading Shaibu to withdraw the case from court. However, any expectations of a resolution to the dispute were dashed on Monday when access to Shaibu’s office was obstructed by a locked gate, preventing him from entering the building.