I haven’t received allocation for six months from Obaseki’s administration — Deputy Gov, Shaibu

• He said this while speaking to reporters during the inauguration of the Correspondents Chapel of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists
  

  ---

Philip Shaibu, the Edo State Deputy Governor and a gubernatorial aspirant for the upcoming 2024 state elections, revealed on Tuesday that his office has received no allocation from the state government in the past six months.

Speaking to journalists during the inauguration of the Correspondents Chapel of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin City, Shaibu disclosed that he has been funding his office from personal resources and contributions from acquaintances.

This financial situation seems linked to the ongoing discord between Governor Godwin Obaseki and himself, which escalated in September when Shaibu relocated his office away from the State Government House.

Notably, the new location for the deputy governor’s office was previously the state Public Procurement Office commissioned by former Governor Sen. Adams Oshiomhole on December 16, 2014.

There were earlier reports indicating Shaibu’s intention to officially announce his gubernatorial candidacy in the state. The Philip Shaibu Campaign Organisation issued a letter, dated November 23 and signed by the deputy governor, outlining his plan, seemingly in defiance of his superior, who opposes his aspirations for the governorship.

He said, “I am your ambassador anywhere I am. This is not because of politics, but because of what you have done to save my life in the cause of doing your work.

“I would have done more, but you know there is tension between the governor, (Godwin Obaseki), and I and for six months, no allocation to my office, so whatever I am doing is contributions from friends and my goodwill and I am still standing very strong, I will continue to be strong, because for me, Edo should be one, Edo at every time should be paramount in our minds.

“I wouldn’t have been deputy governor today if I am not alive, but there was a journalist that investigated and wrote a report, saved my life in the hands of the military.”