Security guards prevented the deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, from criticizing Governor Godwin Obaseki at a public event on Sunday, which caused a spectacle in the Edo State Government House.
At the Interdenominational Thanksgiving Church Service to commemorate Edo’s 32nd year anniversary, held at the Festival Hall, Government House, Obaseki could be seen seated with his wife while the security aide stepped in front of him to block the entrance in the images that quickly went viral on social media.
This is not unrelated to the recent argument Shaibu had with his principal about his alleged desire to run for governor in 2024 after returning from vacation in the United States.
Shaibu expressed his devotion to Obaseki after the denial, saying that it has nothing to do with his desire to become the state’s governor.
He went on to say that the governor was his older sibling.
The deputy governor said,
“My loyalty to the governor remains absolute. I see that everybody is in solidarity. I am also in solidarity with the governor. I am also declaring my unalloyed loyalty to the governor and nothing more.”
“As for the issues that are around town when I was away, I really would not want to talk about them, especially about the governor. He is my elder brother and boss and I don’t think I should talk about anything.
“And if I have issues with him, I think it is better settled at home and not in the media. I am well brought up.
“I can tell you that from my Christian background if you make a vow with God that you want to do something, you must fulfil it. And the vow I have taken with God is that I will continue to support Godwin Obaseki as the governor of Edo State from the beginning to the end.
Meanwhile, reacting to the incident, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sylvester Okungbowa, defended his principal, saying, “Whatever happened at the Church service was not at the behest of the Governor, neither was he aware what the security aides were doing; in fact, the security aides were doing their job.
“Besides, the governor was not aware that the deputy was coming to greet him.
“The Church is a public event, so the security aides had a duty to safeguard their principal,” he added.
Punch