Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has designated the office of his Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, as the new secretariat for the Alaghodaro summit, a prominent annual investment drive in the state.
Alaghodaro, a Benin term symbolising progress and advancement, was initiated by Governor Obaseki’s administration.
The decision to repurpose the deputy governor’s office for the summit comes as a twist, considering Governor Obaseki’s previous assertion of renovating the one-story building.
A confidential memo dated September 18, 2023, recently leaked, reveals Governor Obaseki’s directive to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie.
In the memo, Obaseki instructs the SSG to promptly allocate the deputy governor’s office to the Alaghodaro summit’s board of trustees, positioning it conveniently near the New Festival Hall of Government House, the chosen venue for the summit.
The New Festival Hall was until recently occupied by Comrade Philip Shaibu, who has now been relocated to a new office at No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin.
Reports suggest that the two may be at odds over the governor’s succession plans.
It is worth noting that Comrade Philip Shaibu withdrew his anti-impeachment lawsuit against Governor Obaseki on September 5, 2023, but has continued to express his determination to contest the gubernatorial elections scheduled for November 12, 2024.