EMBATTLED deputy governor of Edo State, Mr Philip Shaibu, said on Friday that he has resumed duties and has therefore reappointed some of his aides, although he noted that he would be working from home to prevent any confrontation.
“I have resumed, recalled all my staff. I will be working from private residence to prevent any confrontation. I remain the deputy governor. All salaries and entitlements will be paid,” he said.
Shaibu said Thursday’s gun attack on him and the APC governorship candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, was an assassination attempt allegedly orchestrated by the state government.
Shaibu, while reacting to the attack, said he was taken aback by the ugly incident that claimed the life of a police officer.
He noted that he had in the last one year avoided many calls for a protest over his ordeal to forestall any kind of confrontation with state government and its agents.
The state government, through its Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, and the Special Adviser to the governor on media project, Crusoe Osagie, had blamed Shaibu for the mayhem.
The state government alleged that Shaibu allegedly mobilised armed thugs to wait for him at the Benin Airport.
Shaibu said he found the allegation very funny, querying the logic in him mobilising thugs, yet was attacked, leading to the killing of police officer in his convoy.
He noted, however, that he had instituted a N50 billion suit against the governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, commissioner and the media aide for defaming his character.
According to him, it is surprising that Nehikhare and Osagie are insisting that he remained impeached when they have refused to study the court judgement.
He slammed the state government for issuing a statement on the judgment it never reviewed, saying there were many gaps in the administration of the state.
The judgment reinstating him, he said, was declarative and had to be carried out before an appeal could be entertained in the case.
“I can tell you that Thursday attack was planned by the state governor to assassinate me. The governor vowed to destroy me when I remained resolute to vie for the position of the governor.
“They said I was the one who planned the attack but I came in peacefully from Abuja to the state capital. Why were the armed thugs laying ambush for me? Were they expecting a visitor?
“I have already instituted a N50 billion suit against the governor, Nehikhare and Osagie for defamation. They will be served next week.
Aides reappointed by Shaibu on Friday include, Mr Kingsley Ehigiamusor, as Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor and Mr Musa Ebomhiana, as his Chief Press Secretary.
The appointments contained, in a statement by Ebomhiana, also announced the appointments of Mr Emmanuel Akhaba, Charles Olubayo, Mustapha Lawal-Omokpe and Matthias Akhanemhe as Senior Special Assistants.
Others reappointed are Mr Obinson Akhenoba and Robert Ojele as Special Assistants.
According to the statement, all the appointments are with immediate effect.
But in a swift reaction, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Chris Nehikhare described the appointments as “fake”.
Nehikhare said government had observed that some unsigned statements circulating on social media the appointment of certain persons as aides in the office of the deputy governor.
He urged the public to disregard the document, describing it as fake.
“It is part of the provocative actions by the impeached Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, to foment crisis in the state.
“It is clear that the impeached deputy governor is hell-bent on creating a sense of chaos in the state. But the state government is resolved to put his antics in check and ensure that the state continues to run smoothly.
“We restate that Omobayo Marvellous Godwins remains the deputy governor of Edo State and the public is enjoined to disregard the fake document and antics of Shaibu,” he said.
He said: “the government, once again, calls on citizens to be rest assured that we will maintain peace and order as we charge them to go about their lawful businesses.” (NAN)
