The last may have not been heard of the rift between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, as security personnel on Monday barred journalists attached to the Deputy Governor’s Office from accessing venue of a state function.
This was at the ongoing celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Midwest Referendum taking place at the state-owned Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Shaibu had arrived venue of the event alongside his media crew and made entry into the hall. However, moments later, the crew members were reportedly ejected from the venue, by security personnel, said to be acting on instructions.
One of the journalists, who spoke with this metrowatchonline.com on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the development.
He said they were approached by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Andrew Okungbowa, who ordered them to wait outside the hall pending further directives as their names/media houses were not on the list of accredited journalists.
“We were all at work when the CPS (Mr. Andrew Okungbowa) and the Public Relations Officer in the Office of the Governor, Ms Osarumwense Margaret Ojo, identified us one after the other before security men attached to the Office of the Governor who physically forced us out of the venue,” the source claimed.
However, trouble started moments into the event as the Deputy Governor who upon realising that his media crew were not with him at the program exited the hall to fetch his team and were making a return to the hall when security led by the CPS barricaded them.
In a trending video seen by this newspaper, one of the Governor’s media aides could be seen preventing the Deputy Governor’s media crew from the venue, while calling for backup from the Government House Chief Security Officer (CSO).
The scene became confrontational as the security personnel and the Governor’s media aides were seen ‘tossing’ a member of the Deputy Governor’s media crew who attempted to make force entry into the venue behind the Deputy Governor.
It was gathered that all efforts made by the Deputy Governor to ensure that his media crew were admitted in the venue were futile as he was allegedly told by the security personnel that they were simply acting on an “instruction from above.”
At that point, Shaibu, it was gathered, told his retinue of aides and the affected journalists that he could not be in an event where his media crew are barred. He subsequently exited the venue without speaking to the press.
As at the time of filing this report, the Governor’s Office was yet to formally react to the development.
It will be recalled that a similar drama played out only yesterday (Sunday) as security personnel attached to Governor Obaseki restrained the Deputy Governor from getting close to the Governor at a Church service to commemorate the State’s 32nd year anniversary.
A mild drama played out after Shaibu, who recently fell out with his boss over his rumoured 2024 governorship ambition, tried to access the Governor apparently to exchange pleasantries with him following his (Shaibu’s) return from vacation in the United States.
However, all attempts by the Deputy Governor to get close to the Governor failed, as Shaibu was rebuffed by a security detail attached to the Governor’s Office who blocked his way.
But the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Andrew Okungbowa, who defended his principal, said: “Whatever happened at the Church service was not at the behest of the Governor, neither was he aware of what the security aides were going; in fact the security aides were doing their job. Besides, the governor was not aware that the deputy governor was coming to greet him.
“The Church is a public event, so the security aides had a duty to safeguard their principal.”
Amid the feud between the two Edo political leaders, Shaibu approached the Federal High Court in Abuja for protection to restrain Governor Obaseki, the Edo State House of Assembly, Chief Judge of the State and others from impeaching him.
In reaction, Governor Obaseki had accused Shaibu of being desperate to succeed him as governor, saying the deputy governor may contemplate coup against him (Obaseki).
Shaibu had however denied the allegations, saying he remained loyal to the Governor as there was no any ill attempt against Obaseki.
See video here:
