Comrade Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State, was unable to enter his office on Monday morning at the Dennis Osadebey Avenue administrative center in Benin City, the state’s capital.
When Shaibu arrived at his office, he encountered a chain and a large padlock at the door.
The troubled deputy governor and his supporters waited for roughly an hour before departing.
Shaibu also frantically called his principal, Governor Andrew Obaseki, but to no avail.
According to sources, Shaibu discussed his lockout with the State’s Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Security Services (DSS).
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) in the Government House, Wabba Williams, will be in a better position to explain, it was reported. He summoned the Government House camp commandant, SP Ibrahim Babatunde, and asked him why he was locked out of his office.
All the while Shaibu was waiting at the gate, Shaibu called Williams and asked him to come, but he never did.
“I haven’t received any official communication advising me to move yet. My civil servants are the only ones with whom I communicate officially. While I don’t have access to official communications, civil servants do. He said on the phone to an unnamed person, “I am standing by the gate as I speak to you now.
A letter purportedly from Anthony Okungbowa’s office was reportedly sent to the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Deputy Governor last week, instructing Shuaibu to move to a new office at No. 7 Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City.
A signboard indicating the Deputy Governor’s office was located a few meters from the Government House popped up at the former State Procurement Office about two weeks ago, according to GISTLOVER, but Shaibu insisted he was not made aware of the change.
