The embattled deputy governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, on Monday, defied warnings by the state government as he went ahead to inspect some ongoing projects in the Benin City, the state capital.
The projects visited by Shaibu included the multi-billion naira five-star Radisson Blu Hotel, the ongoing Museum Of West African Arts (MOWAA), reconstruction of the road in Okada Avenue and parts of Central Road.
The embattled deputy governor vowed that he would continue to work in his official capacity.
Recall that he was impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly few months ago and the impeachment was nullified by a Federal High Court in Abuja, a verdict that the state government had appealed against, which is still pending before the Appellate Court.
The state government, in a statement, warned Shaibu not to act in breach of extant laws to disrupt the process of governance and subject himself to the law at all times. But, Shaibu rebuffed the warning and went to inspect projects as the state’s deputy governor.
Speaking to journalists at the MOWAA site, Shaibu said though work was 80 per cent completed according to the contractor but that he has his reservations about the citing of the project in the particular location while at Radisson Blu Hotel, he said the scope of work was okay and that he wanted to be sure that all the major works under the outgoing government was going on fine.
Speaking about MOWAA, Shaibu said: “Work is about 80 per cent completed. It is fine but I have my reservation, this is supposed to be a Central Hospital for the people and not to build a museum here.”
On his official status as deputy governor, which the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration insisted he is not, he said: “We should not respond to people in exile who release press releases because we are here. Anybody who wants to release a press release should come here and not be in exile and start releasing press statements. We should ignore them.
“I have since resumed because the issue of reinstatement should be a thing of the past. I don’t think we should be talking about it. Judgement has been made. We should move forward. The issue is if I can work with Obaseki, can I work with him? I can work with him but he cannot work with me.
“The office of the Deputy Governor is not an office under Obaseki. It is an office created by the Constitution. Until you understand the difference between the office of the Governor and Office of the Deputy Governor and the Constitutionality of the office. I am deputy governor and my role is clearly defined. I will be going round in the next two weeks, starting with Edo South, after then Central and then North to check what we have done. A new Sheriff is in town and we must hand over to him. That’s where we are. I am doing my work as deputy governor of Edo State.
“My own duty as deputy governor is to discharge my duties as deputy governor. I have come to inspect what is going on here at the museum. We went around and to other projects. Administratively, there are issues that have to be sorted out. There are administrative issues at Radisson Blu which have to be sorted out. It is work and work. In the next six weeks, we have to put things in proper perspective so that the next Sheriff in town will know where we are. I am doing my work as deputy governor. I am on ground and not in exile.”
Meanwhile, a statement by the Special Adviser on Media Projects to Governor Obaseki, Crusoe Osagie, said: “Shaibu, just like any private citizen, can take a tour around the exceptional projects of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“We warn, however, that both Philip Shaibu and the security agencies should not carry out actions that violate the laws and the constitution.
“Shaibu should be patient and wait for the Appeal Court to hear his matter; he needs to learn to subject himself to authority of the law.
“The government enjoined the good people of Edo State to go about their lawful business, rest assured that government will always ensure the protection of lives and property in line with extant laws in the State.”
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