The deputy governor of Edo State, Mr Philip Shaibu, has said governor Godwin Obaseki had withheld all allocations to his office for the past six months.
He stated this while delivering his goodwill message at the launching of a new office building and end of the year party of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Edo State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin City on Tuesday.
Shaibu and Obaseki have been at loggerheads, following the former’s decision to contest the 2024 governorship election in the state against the wishes of his boss.
“Whatever I am doing is a contribution from friends and my goodwill, and I am still standing very strong.
“I would have done more, but you know there is tension between the governor and I. And for six months, no allocation to my office.
“And I will continue to be strong because for me, Edo should be one, Edo at every time should be paramount in our minds,” he said.
He, however, expressed determination that, “in all things I am doing, Edo must be first and I am determined to strengthening the institutions”.
“I came into politics because I feel that we should have an egalitarian society and make institutions strong because that is the only way we can have the society of our dream.
“Institution does not know the rich, strong, and the poor, it takes care of all strata of life. That is what I stand for. That is my calling to joining politics,” he added.
Also, he promised to always identify with journalists for saving his life during the military junta.
He said, “I am your ambassador, anywhere I am. This is not because of politics, but because of what you have done to save my life in the cause of doing your work.
“I wouldn’t have been deputy governor today if I am not alive, but there was a journalist that investigated and wrote a report, saved my life in the hands of the military.”
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