In an unexpected move, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has chosen to reassign Mrs. Sabina Chikere, the Permanent Secretary of the State Sports Commission. As reported by the Nigerian Tribune, Mrs. Chikere previously served as the General Coordinator for the Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, a team with aspirations for continental success. She has now been moved to the Central Administration Department at Government House in Benin City.
What’s noteworthy is that Mrs. Chikere is the sister-in-law of the embattled deputy governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu. This development seems to be connected to an ongoing disagreement between him and Governor Obaseki concerning the plans for the 2024 governorship succession. Many political observers speculate that the decision to redeploy Chikere is directly influenced by this feud.
This action comes at a crucial juncture, as the Bendel Insurance Football Club is preparing for an important CAF Confederation Cup first-round preliminary match against ASO Chief of Algeria. The match is slated to occur at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin on Saturday. The sudden reassignment of Chikere raises concerns about its potential impact on the team’s performance.
It’s important to note that Mrs. Chikere’s elevation to the position of Permanent Secretary reportedly had ties to Shaibu. Originally not a civil servant in Edo State, her connection to him played a role in her appointment. This recent development exacerbates the ongoing dispute between Governor Obaseki and his deputy.
The deputy governor recently approached a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order to restrain the governor, the Chief Judge of Edo State, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly from initiating impeachment proceedings against him. Governor Obaseki has strongly refuted the allegations and accused his deputy of magnifying the situation.
Before this rift escalated, Obaseki had entrusted Shaibu with overseeing sports and other state matters. The deterioration in their relationship has now led to the reassignment of Mrs. Chikere, further intensifying tensions between the two high-ranking officials in the state.
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