Obaseki Makes U-Turn, Allocates Shaibu’s Office in Govt House to Alaghodaro

Alaghodaro, a Benin catchphrase meaning progress or moving forward, is an annual investment drive by the Edo State Government, which is Obaseki’s initiative.

In a leaked memo on Thursday dated September 18, 2023, the Edo Governor asked the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, to “immediately” allocate the deputy governor’s office building to the trustees of the Alaghodaro summit as their Secretariat.

The chairman of Alaghodaro, through its secretary, had written to Obaseki for a permanent secretariat building to aid planning and logistics for the 2023 summit held in the second week of November.

According to the Edo Governor‘s leaked memo, the office space closest to the venue of the summit, the New Festival Hall of Government House, which until a few days ago, was occupied by Shaibu, should be allocated to the board of trustees of the Alaghodaro summit, expected to attract potential investors from different parts of Nigeria.

Shaibu was pushed out of Government House, and allocated a new office at No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin with a bold inscription “Office of the Deputy Governor, No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City,” at a location not far from the Government House.

Conspicuously at the entrance of the one-storey building is an unveiled inauguration plaque, with this inscription: “Edo State Public Procurement Agency – This building was commissioned by “His Excellency, The Comrade Governor, Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, mni, OON, Edo State Governor, on Tuesday, 16th December 2014.”