The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has moved the office of his deputy, Philip Shaibu to a building outside the Government House.
The new office is situated at No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, close to the Government House.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Musa Ebomhiana, however said the story of “relocating the deputy governor is still a rumour because there is no official communication to the deputy governor” to that effect.
A sign of a crack in the relationship of the two prominent citizens of the state emerged recently when Shaibu approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop his impeachment.
Both the governor and the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, promptly denied there was a move to impeach the deputy governor.
It is believed that the rift between the governor and his deputy was caused by the latter’s insistence on becoming the next governor, while Obaseki insisted that it is the turn of Edo Central to produce the next governor of the state.
Last Sunday at an interdenominational service held at the Government House, security personnel denied the deputy governor from having access to the governor.
He had wanted to move towards the governor to greet him, but a security detail blocked him from proceeding. He later bowed in greetings for the governor and left.
Shaibu on the same day pledged his allegiance to Obaseki, but said his (Shaibu) governorship aspiration was still intact.
The following day, Shaibu walked out of a government function after security officials disallowed his press team from gaining entry into the venue.
Obaseki reacted to the incident by disbanding the disbanding the media team of the deputy governor.
The new office of the Deputy Governor used to be the office of the Edo State Public Procurement Office commissioned by a former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole, on December 16, 2014.
A sign board with the inscription ‘Office of the Deputy Governor’ was placed at the entrance. Workers were seen renovating the building and the compound, while renovation was yet to commence at the security post.
One of the workers handling the renovation, who did not give his name, said the job was expected to be completed on Monday.
Speaking about the development, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare said, “If there is a government sign board saying so, then it must be so.”
