'Powers above' deny Deputy Shaibu access to Edo Government Office

The Government House in Benin City witnessed early drama on Monday, September 18, 2023, as the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, found himself locked out of his office.

Shaibu, who arrived at the Government House on a typical Monday morning, was left stunned when he encountered the gates leading to his office firmly locked and inaccessible.

He reportedly called upon the Government House camp commandant, SP Ibrahim Babatunde, inquiring about the reason behind his office's unanticipated lockdown.

The senior police officer allegedly informed him that the directive had originated from powers above, intimating that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) at the Government House, Wabba Williams, would be better suited to provide clarification on the matter.

Shaibu put calls to Williams and promised to come but never showed up all through the waiting of Shaibu at the gate.

Shaibu locked out of office [Channels TV] Pulse Nigeria

In a telephone conversation with an undisclosed person, Shaibu expressed his bewilderment at the situation, stating that he had not received any official communication from the governor's office regarding the relocation of his office.

"Up till now, I don't have any official communication that I should relocate, the only people that have official communication are my civil servants. The civil servants have official communication, but I don't. As I am speaking to you now, I am standing by the gate."

Sources suggest that the office of the Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa, dispatched a letter to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor last week, instructing Shaibu to relocate his office to a new location at No 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City.

Pulse reported that Philip Shuaibu, had initiated the relocation of his official office from the Government House premises, last week.

Recall that on Friday, September 1, 2023, workers were seen renovating the building and the compound while the renovation had yet to commence on the security post.

It's no longer news that the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and Shaibu are currently on a warpath over the latter's ambition to clinch the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)'s ticket for the Edo governorship election in 2024.