Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu have engaged in exchange of tirades over the locking out of the former from the Government House in Benin, the state capital, on Monday.
Shaibu urged the governor and his allies to say the truth always, especially about the lockout.
The embattled deputy governor, through one of his aides, who spoke in confidence, said: “At last, the much-awaited letter from Governor Obaseki relocating the office of his deputy, Shaibu, out of the Government House, Benin City, came on Monday afternoon, shortly before official closing hours.
“The terse memo signed by the 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 7, Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City.
“Surprisingly, the letter, dated Friday, September 15, 2023 crawled, and finally got to the Office of Deputy Governor around 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 said the embarrassment was avoidable, if Obaseki and his allies had done the right thing.