Obaseki fumes as Shaibu resumes, inspects projects

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki

The reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, on Monday, made good on his vow to resume official duties despite opposition from Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Shaibu, who inspected some ongoing projects in the state capital, Benin, said he had resumed and was ready to work with Obaseki.

However, in a statement on Monday, Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, warned Shaibu not to disrupt the process of governance and to respect the rule of law at all times.

During his tour of the capital city, Shaibu inspected the Radisson Blu Hotel, the Museum of West African Art, Sapele Road, and other roads under construction in the state capital.

Speaking after the inspection, he noted that the MOWAA project was 80 per cent completed, adding that the Central Hospital should have been located on that land.

He said, “Work is about 80 percent completed at MOWAA. It’s fine, but I have my reservations because the Central Hospital should have been on that land.

“I have since resumed my duties following my reinstatement. The issue of reinstatement should be a thing of the past. I don’t think we should keep discussing it. Judgement has been given, and we should move forward.

“The issue is whether I can work with Obaseki. Can I work with him? Yes, I can, but he cannot work with me. The Office of the Deputy Governor is not subordinate to Obaseki. It’s an office created by the Constitution.

“Until the distinction between the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Deputy Governor, as well as the constitutionality of the latter, is understood, there will continue to be issues. I am a Deputy Governor, and my role is clearly defined. There was never a time I ceased to be the Deputy Governor. It’s an elective post, not an appointment.

“I have two Certificates of Return. I will be touring the state over the next two weeks, starting with Edo South, then Central, and finally North, to check what we have accomplished. A new sheriff is in town, and we must ensure a proper handover. That’s where we are. I am doing my work as the Deputy Governor of Edo State.”

Shaibu urged the people of Edo to ignore press statements being released from outside the country, noting that he was not deterred.

He added, “We should not respond to people in exile who issue press releases. We are here; we are homeboys here in Edo.

“Anyone who wants to issue a press release should come here instead of being in exile and releasing statements. We should ignore them.”

When asked if the museum would be converted back to a hospital, he replied, “I am not the governor-elect. The governor-elect will decide what to do with the museum when he assumes office as the Governor of Edo State. My role as Deputy Governor is to discharge my duties accordingly.

“I have come to inspect what is going on here at the museum. We visited other projects too. Administratively, there are issues that need to be sorted out. There are administrative issues at Radisson Blu that need to be addressed.

“In the next six weeks, we have to put things in proper perspective so that the next sheriff will know where we are. I am doing my work as Deputy Governor. I am on the ground, not in exile.”

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government has warned Shaibu not to act in violation of extant laws.

In a statement on Monday, the Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, warned Shaibu not to disrupt the process of governance and to respect the authority of the law.

He added, “Shaibu, just like any private citizen, can take a tour around the exceptional projects of Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“We warn, however, that both Philip Shaibu and the security agencies should not carry out actions that violate the laws and the constitution.

“Shaibu should be patient and wait for the Appeal Court to hear his matter; he needs to learn to subject himself to the authority of the law.”

The government enjoined the good people of Edo State to go about their lawful business, assuring them that the government would continue to ensure the protection of lives and property in line with extant laws in the state.