Edo Speaker Defend Slashing Of Budget To Shaibu’s Office

The speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Blessing Agbebaku has given insight into the reasons the allocation to the office of the deputy governor for the 2024 appropriation was slashed to about N345 million naira while that of the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Head of Service (HoS) and others were far higher saying not much responsibilities would be given to the deputy governor in the new year because of his governorship ambition.

Speaking to journalists on the development in his office, Agbebaku also dispelled rumours that there was disenchantment among some members of the house and were plotting to make the house not peaceful for him.

According to him, “Unlike the other offices like the SSG, HoS and others, the office of the governor and the deputy governor are the same, it is not only in this year’s budget, even in previous years that is how it has been. On this occasion, the governor stated clearly that since the deputy governor has not performed his functions in the outgoing year because of his aspiration. which he recognized to be a huge one and time consuming, most of his functions were relocated to other offices as the governor has the powers to do so.

“All of us know that the deputy governor doesn’t have constitutional powers bestowed on him except that which is allocated to him by the governor. So most of those things that the deputy governor used to do, the governor has removed from him.  He has even gone on media to complain that he is no longer working, if you are not doing work, who will now give you money?