The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has disclosed that his office has not received any allocation in the last six months.
He stated that he has been running the office operation on goodwill and personal sacrifices, citing tension between him and Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Shaibu made the statement on Tuesday, voicing at the commissioning of the secretariat of the Correspondents Chapel of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state capital Benin City.
Some of the personalities present at the event include Matthew Urhoghide, Oserhiemen Osunbor, and Anslem Ojezua, all of whom are Edo State governorship aspirants in 2024.
Shaibu said that he was running for governor of Edo State in 2024 and that he would never stop identifying with the media for saving his life during the military dictatorship that ended in 1999 with the return to democracy.
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.” Shaibu noted.
He reaffirmed his dedication to prioritising the state and promised to fortify the organisation that installed him as deputy governor.
