Reportedly, on Friday, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State is said to have reassigned Mrs. Sabina Chikere, the Permanent Secretary of the State Sports Commission, to the Central Administration Department at the Government House in Benin City.
Mrs. Chikere, who previously held the role of General Coordinator for Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, a team participating in continental competitions, was redeployed in the midst of a dispute.
She is related to Comrade Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of the state, who is currently in a conflict with Governor Obaseki over the 2024 gubernatorial succession plans.
Observers speculate that Mrs. Chikere’s reassignment is linked to the ongoing tension between Governor Obaseki and Deputy Governor Shaibu.
This development occurred shortly before Bendel Insurance’s crucial CAF Confederation Cup preliminary match against ASO Chief of Algeria, scheduled to take place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin on Saturday.
It is noteworthy that Mrs. Chikere’s elevation to the position of Permanent Secretary was reportedly influenced by the embattled Deputy Governor, even though she was not originally a core civil servant in Edo State.
In recent times, Deputy Governor Shaibu sought legal intervention to prevent the initiation of alleged impeachment proceedings against him by Governor Obaseki, the State House of Assembly Speaker, and the Chief Judge of Edo State, among others. This move appears to have escalated tensions between the two leaders, with Governor Obaseki refuting the allegations and accusing his deputy of creating unnecessary turmoil.
Before the current disagreement between the governor and deputy governor, Governor Obaseki had entrusted Deputy Governor Shaibu with overseeing sports matters and other responsibilities in the state.
