By DADA AYOKHAI
The raging war of words between the minister of state for budget and national planning, Prince Clem Agba, and the Edo State deputy governor, Hon Phillip Shaibu, is not likely to abate until the winners and the losers of the 2023 general elections are decided.
The deputy governor recently threw some hard punches at the minister and taunted him for taking advantage of the skewed governance system to take on responsibilities beyond his jurisdiction
He was speaking while receiving hundreds of APC members from the Akoko Edo local government area who recently defected to the ruling PDP.
The welcome ceremony was held in the Government House, Benin, and the defectors were led by the factional chairman of the party in Akoko Edo, frank Adeyemi.
Comrade Shaibu emphatically said that a system that allows a minister of budget to abandon his core job and to go about building roads and bridges is dangerous and must be discouraged.
He said, “We must say no to a system whereby the minister of state for the budget is now the one in charge of road construction like we have seen in recent times”.
Comrade Shaibu sounded unhappy and described it as “unrealistic and dangerous” a situation where a minister of state for budget would take on the responsibility of road construction rather than facing squarely his portfolio.
He also promised to “shock” the APC by leading the PDP to win the forthcoming election in Edo North, insisting the so-called talk about the Edo North being the stronghold of the APC is delusionary and only exists in the imagination of some people who have refused to accept the dynamics of the moment.
Comrade Shaibu is probably hitting back at the minister for making some uncomplimentary remarks against him during the former’s hosting of his political associates in his Uzanu country home during the yuletide.
Prince Agba had during the get together regaled his audience on how he was able to attract and influence the construction of roads, bridges, and projects in Edo North, adding he is ready to help the deputy governor reconstruct the popular Jattu market , which happens to be the community of the deputy governor
.
