By DADA AYOKHAI
The reinstated deputy governor of Edo State, Hon. Philip Shaibu, has continued to criticize his supposed boss, Gov. Godwin Obaseki.
In his recent tirade, Hon. Shaibu condemned the swift inauguration of the state Civil Service Commission, which took place just 27 days before his departure.
The new chairman and other members of the Commission were recently sworn in by Gov. Obaseki after the state assembly approved the five-member list of commissioners submitted by the state government during its sitting on Monday of last week.
The five-member Commission includes Mr. Iguodala Lalla Aluyi as chairman, Mr. Ehi Obaseki, Mr Gilbert Adegboyega, Mrs Julie Olatunji, and Mrs Margaret Ohiowere as members.
In a post on his Facebook page, Hon. Shaibu, who seeks every means to undermine his supposed boss, explicitly distanced himself and the office he occupied from the alleged anomaly.
He described the governor’s action as a “misplaced priority.”
Hon Shaibu did not have kind words for his boss and upbraided him for establishing a new Civil Service Commission after failing to utilize the former one, stressing further that he allowed private consultants to handle activities that should have been managed by the Commission, such as appointments into the state and public service.
“who failed to utilize the last Civil Service Commission, is now inaugurating a new one. Under his watch, private consultants have been handling activities that naturally fall within the Commission’s purview, such as appointments into the state civil and public service.”
He also expressed concern that the individual appointed as chairman of the new commission did not meet the basic qualifications for the role, casting doubt on the integrity of the appointment process.
“individual reportedly screened by the Edo State House of Assembly for the Chairman position lacks the basic qualifications and does not even meet the criteria for the role. This raises serious questions about the integrity of the process.”
He emphasized further that the hasty and suspicious nature of the appointments, which occurred after the election and were backdated, undermines due process, transparency, and good governance.
He warned the appointees to be cautious, citing the case of the Okuogbellagbe of Okpella while describing the appointments as “Greek gifts” that could lead to trouble, and urged all stakeholders to prioritize legality and accountability.
