.Matthew Urhoghide defects to APC 

The face-off between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, took a worrisome dimension, yesterday, as Shaibu went to his office at the Government House to discover it was under lock and key.

The Office of the Deputy Governor was, a few weeks ago, relocated to a new place on Osadebey Avenue.
Recall that the face-off between Obaseki and Shaibu is over a purported impeachment claim by the deputy governor and his subsequent withdrawal of a suit against the governor.

Sources told The Guardian that when Shaibu got to his office in the Government House yesterday, he was locked out.

A source said: “The gate to the Office of the Deputy Governor and the main entrance leading to the building was locked with chains and heavy padlocks.

“Shaibu and his aides waited for about an hour and left.”

The deputy governor was said to have made frantic calls trying to reach the governor to no avail.
It was further gathered that Shaibu had some discussions with the Commissioner of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in the state, alerting them of how he was locked out from his office.

Shaibu was said to have summoned the Government House Camp Commandant, asking him why he was locked out of his office.

He said it was a directive from above, adding that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Government House will be in a better position to explain.

Shaibu was said to have put calls to Wabba Williams, who promised to come, but never came all through the time the deputy governor waited.

Meanwhile, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, yesterday, formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State.

Urhoghide’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC is not unconnected with his ambition to contest the 2024 governorship election in the state.