Edo state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, on Monday, angrily stormed out of the location of a government event after security personnel barred several of his aides from entering.
Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, hosted a colloquium to commemorate the Midwest Referendum’s 60th anniversary. The Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, located on Airport Road in Benin City, the state capital, hosted it.
While the governor was giving his introductory remarks, Shaibu and a few of his aides arrived at the location, but some security personnel at the entrance to the hall prevented the deputy governor’s aides from entering the room.
Shaibu maintained that his advisers “must come with me” despite the security personnel’s attempts to explain the situation to the deputy governor amid the ensuing turmoil.
The deputy governor tried for a few minutes to negotiate a settlement with the security guards, but to no avail. “Let’s go,” he instructed his aides.
Later, Shaibu was spotted getting into his vehicle.
Obaseki and Shaibu have not spoken for several weeks.
Obaseki, a leader in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is the governor of Edo State and is serving his second term. He had accused Shaibu of betraying him by saying that his deputy intended to switch parties in order to run in the upcoming state election.
The deputy governor, who had won a court order to halt the governor and the Edo Assembly’s “impeachment” of him, refuted the charges and swore allegiance to Obaseki.
On July 13, 1963, a referendum was held to establish the then-Midwestern Region of Nigeria, which was later renamed Bendel State in 1976 and is today Edo and Delta states.
