The simmering crisis between Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, took a new twist on Sunday, August 27, as the Department of State Services (DSS), denied him access to the governor.
The incident happened at the New Festival Hall of Government House, Benin, on Sunday, at a church service to mark the 32nd anniversary of the creation of Edo State.
Shaibu, who was one of the guests, stood up to greet Obaseki, but a DSS operative blocked him just a few metres away.
Obaseki, who sat beside his wife, Betsy, and Charles Aniagwu, a Commissioner of Delta State, looked away as Shaibu fruitlessly explained to the plain-cloth security operative who stood his ground.
The deputy governor later returned to his seat.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Andrew Okungbowa, while commenting on the issue said the DSS operative was only doing his job.
He said: “Whatever happened at the church service was not at the behest of the governor, neither was he aware of 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.”
THE NATION
