The office of the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has been moved from the Government House in Benin, the state capital, to a new facility by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.
Gistlover is aware that there may be a connection between the office’s transfer and the tension between the governor and his deputy on the approaching governorship race.
The new facility, which formerly housed the Edo State Public Procurement facility, is located beside the Government House at 7 Dennis Osadebey Avenue.
On December 16, 2014, former governor Adams Oshiomhole opened the structure, which has a signboard at the entrance reading, “Office of the Deputy Governor.”
The refurbishment of the security post had not yet started when The Punch visited the property on Friday, but workmen could be seen working on the compound and the building.
The renovation project was slated to be finished on Monday, according to one of the workers in charge of it who declined to provide his name.
He continued by saying he had no idea what the structure will be used for and had no idea why the signboard had been placed at the entrance.
The worker said, “I work for the company handling this renovation of this building. Our job is to deliver the project on Monday as agreed. I do not know how the signboard got to the entrance of the building, and I don’t have an idea of what the building will be used for.”
Reacting, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, confirmed the relocation of the office of the deputy governor.
He said, “If there is a government signboard saying so, then it must be so.”
