The gulf between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, widened on Monday as the deputy governor claimed that he was denied the use of the state’s official vehicles at the Abuja Liaison Office to transport him to Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
Shaibu, who spoke at the 2024 edition of the yearly Auchi Day celebration held at the Palace of the Otaru of Auchi, described the development as “an attempt to ridicule the Office of the Deputy Governor.”
The deputy governor stressed that the “ugly situation” was not about him as an individual, but about the office, which he noted must be preserved and respected.
Shaibu, who had in December last year announced that he had not received any allocation to his office for six months running, specially mentioned the State Government Liaison Officer in Abuja, Deacon Festus Osaigbovo, as the government official who denied him the use of the official vehicles from Abuja to Auchi, in the basis of non-availability of fuel and Hilux vam to convey his security.
The Liaison Officer, according to the embattled deputy governor, however, opted to assist him (Shaibu) to hire a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) at a cost of N250,000.
“I called the Liaison Officer to provide vehicles to take me to Auchi to be part of this year’s edition of Auchi Day Celebration. Unfortunately, he started giving me all sorts of excuses as to why he could not provide the vehicles.
“He talked about fuel, non-availability of a Hilux for my security, and ended up saying he can only assist me to hire a SUV to take me to Auchi, the cost at which he put at N250,000.
“However, I managed to be in Auchi because I was determined to be part of this celebration. It is a sad commentary because as a government, we should imbibe the spirit of respecting the institution rather than trying to ridicule them.
“We are here today as government officials, we may not be here tomorrow but the institution remains for generations yet unborn,” Shaibu bemoaned.
When contacted, Osaigbovo denied the allegation, saying he did not only provide vehicles for the deputy governor, he included a protocol officer to be in the entourage from Abuja to Auchi.
Osigbovo also put the said protocol officer on the call, and the latter did not only confirm that the needed logistics were provided, but hinted that the vehicles, while on their way back to Abuja, developed faults, which he added had been fixed and were about leaving Okene to continue the journey back to Abuja.
“It is not true. I even sent a protocol officer to accompany them on the trip,” Osaigbovo added.
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