Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Friday reportedly redeployed the Permanent Secretary of the State Sports Commission, Mrs Sabina Chikere, to the Central Administration Department, Government House, Benin City.

Mrs Chikere, until her recent redeployment, was the General Coordinator of Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, a continental-bound team.

She is a sister-in-law to the embattled deputy governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu, who is at the moment enmeshed in a battle of wits with his principal, Obaseki, on the 2024 governorship succession plans.

The redeployment of Mrs Chikere, political watchers believed is not unconnected with the feud between Governor Obaseki and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu and is coming barely 24 hours to Bendel Insurance all important CAF Confederation Cup first-round preliminary match against ASO Chief of Algeria, billed for Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin on Saturday.

The former Insurance general coordinator, it would be recalled is the elder sister to the Wife of the Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade (Mrs.) Maryann Philip-Shaibu.

It was learned that Mrs. Chikere’s rise to the position of Permanent Secretary was all allegedly influenced by the embattled Deputy Governor, as she (Sabina) was not a core civil servant in Edo.

Recently, Comrade Shaibu approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, and sought amongst others, an order restricting Governor Obaseki, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Judge of Edo State and others from commencing his alleged impeachment processes.

This development, it was scooped angered the state governor, who did not only refute the allegations but also tagged his deputy of “crying wolf where there is none”.

Prior to the imbroglio between the two top principal actors in the State, Governor Obaseki saddled Shaibu with the responsibility of being in charge of Sports and others in the State. (Nigerian Tribune)

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