The Governor of Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, has tasked the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, with the Ministry of Communication and Orientation for media coverage of activities of his office whenever the need arose.
Nigerian Tribune gathered the ugly incident that occurred earlier in the day at the venue of the 60th-anniversary celebration of the Midwest Referendum, where the media crew of the deputy governor was barred from gaining access to the venue.
The development led to Shaibu walking out of the ceremony midway when all efforts made to get his media crew into the venue failed as the security personnel insisted that with the governor and other dignitaries already seated and even midway, it amounted to a breach of protocol for anyone to enter and begin to set up cameras.
Chris Osa Nehikhare, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, who corroborated this in a press statement he endorsed Monday night, said that the act of the deputy governor’s media teacher was contrary to the protocol “established for the media coverage of the colloquium.”
The text of Nehikhare’s statement reads:
“Edo State Government has disbanded the media crew attached to the Office of the Deputy Governor, with a directive to the Deputy Governor to henceforth request the Ministry of Communication and Orientation for media coverage of activities of his office.
“This directive followed the ugly and unfortunate incident that happened during the colloquium held to mark the 60th anniversary of the Midwest Referendum celebration held at the Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub and Soundstage, where some journalists, who claimed to be the media crew of the Deputy Governor, attempted to force their way into the hall where the governor and other invited dignitaries were already seated.
“This act was contrary to the accredited protocol that had been established for the media coverage of the event.
“The orchestrated and stage-managed walkout and disruption is highly regrettable.”
A source who pleaded anonymity told Nigerian Tribune that Governor Obaseki, before the current hostility between him and his deputy, had been tolerating the deputy governor coming to events, including State Exco, after the governor must have arrived and taken his seat.
“With the latest development, it appears the governor wants to now apply the state protocol on the order of arrival and departure at the state’s event, and it is left for the deputy governor to adjust.
“You may wonder as I did why the media crew of the deputy governor had to come late to an important assignment like what happened earlier today,” the source queried.
It would be recalled that Shaibu had, some three weeks ago, approached an Abuja Federal High Court, seeking reliefs to stop Governor Obaseki, the speaker of the State House of Assembly, and others from impeaching him.
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