Posted by The festering conflict between Philip Shaibu, the governor of Edo State, and Godwin Obaseki took a new turn on Sunday when the Department of State Services, or DSS, barred him from seeing the governor.
The event occurred on Sunday during a church service to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the founding of Edo State at the New Festival Hall of Government House, Benin.
One of the attendees, Shaibu, got up to greet Obaseki, but he was stopped by a DSS agent just a few meters away.
Obaseki, who was sat next to his wife Betsy and Delta State Commissioner Charles Aniagwu, turned away as Shaibu attempted to reason with the plain-cloth security guard, who resisted, before he (Shaibu) eventually went back to his seat.
The governor’s chief press secretary, Andrew Okungbowa, asserted that the DSS agent was merely carrying out his duties.
“Neither the governor nor his security aides were responsible for anything that occurred during the church service. The security guards were, in reality, carrying out their duties. In addition, the governor was unaware that the deputy was approaching him to say hello. The security assistants had a responsibility to protect their principal because the church was a public gathering, he claimed.
After the unpleasant episode, the deputy governor spoke with journalists there and swore utter allegiance to the governor.
Obaseki was also referred to as his older brother by him.