By DADA AYOKHAI
The recent criticism by the reinstated Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Philip Shaibu, against the inauguration of the Edo Civil Service Commission by Governor Godwin Obaseki has sparked reactions.
Critics, however, described Shaibu’s response as “weak and off-mark.”
Hon. Shaibu had on his face book page accused Gov Godwin Obaseki of hastily inaugurating the Edo Civil Service Commission, despite knowing that he had a few more days or weeks in office.
He also critised the quality of the recruited individuals, stressing that the Governor Obaseki had all along used a consultant for the recruitment of civil servants which he considered an aberration.
The Edo Civil Service Commission is the highest authority for recruitment, training, promotion, and discipline within the service.
Similar commissions exist for the Local Government, Judiciary, and the House of Assembly.
However, critics of the embattled deputy governor believe he missed the point in calling out Governor Obaseki.
One of the respondents, a lawyer,Barr Innocent Osagie, pointed out that state governors and the even the federal government are equally guilty of same procedural error.
He questioned why Shaibu is desperate to solely hold Obaseki accountable.
Barry Osagie equally raised several questions to support his position and lamented that the civil service jobs are not openly and transparently sourced through the civil service commission created for such purpose rather,he emphasized that it had always been done through the back door.
Other respondents further accused the governors and their deputies of being deeply involved in such practices.
Short of labelling the embattled deputy governor as alarmist” the respondents especially from his constituency recounted how he , Shaibu benefited from the anomalies when he used his powerful position as a minority whip and later majority leader at the Edo state House of Assembly to unfairly distribute government jobs to his kinsmen and political associates, stating that these jobs were never publicly advertised by the House of Assembly Service Commission.
Similarly, during his almost eight years as deputy governor, he influenced the recruitment of his relatives and political allies into the state civil service through the system he is now complaining about.
They insisted that anytime Shaibu is questioned about his actions and activities in government, he gets defensive and concluded that his recent outbursts against the inauration of the civil service commission appears malicious rather than public driven as he would like people to believe.
