THE Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, today stormed out of a government ceremony after several of his aides were denied access by security authorities.
The event took place at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub on Airport Road in Benin City, the state capital where the colloquium was hosted by Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Midwest Referendum.
While the governor was making his introductory remarks, Shaibu and several advisers arrived at the venue around midday, but security personnel at the hall’s entry blocked the deputy governor’s aides from entering.
Despite the security officers’ attempts to explain the situation to the deputy governor, Shaibu insisted that his aides “must come with me.”
“Let’s go,” the deputy governor told his advisors after minutes of fruitless negotiations with the security personnel.
Later, Shaibu was spotted getting into his car.
For weeks, Shaibu and Obaseki have not been on talking terms.
Obaseki is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain serving his second term as governor. He had accused Shaibu of betraying him, claiming that his deputy was intending to join another party to run in the state election.
Shaibu, on the other hand, who had got a court order to halt his “impeachment” by the governor and the Edo Assembly, disputed the claims and assured loyalty to Obaseki.
A referendum was held on July 13, 1963, to establish the then-Midwestern Region of Nigeria, afterwards renamed Bendel State in 1976 and currently Edo and Delta states.
The state government’s colloquium is one of several events planned to commemorate the Referendum’s Diamond Anniversary and to bring together officials from the two states and other stakeholders to chart a course forward.
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