Philip Shuaibu, Edo Deputy Governor has rebuffed claims that he has pushed off Godwin Dudu-Orumen, the Executive Chairman, Edo Sports Commission from his duties as the state prepares to host the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF), Edo 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic which led to the suspension of sports activities since March 18, caused the indefinite suspension of the National Sports Festival which was originally scheduled for between March 22 and April 1 and was initially moved to between Oct. 3 and Oct. 13 and later scheduled to now hold between Oct. 25 and Nov. 4.
The denial came after Dudu-orumen revealed that the deputy governor had sidelined him in matters of the NSF as he admitted that Philip Shuaibu, the Edo Deputy Governor, who is also the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the festival, was the right person to know about the preparations when asked by reporters about the readiness of the committee for the upcoming festival.
“The Deputy Governor of Edo, Mr Philip Shuaibu, is in a better position to answer questions on the National Sports Festival as I am a spectator.”
“Statutorily, I am in charge of sports, but politically the deputy governor won’t let me do my job, so I am watching,” he said.
Dudu-Orume had said he was a mere appointee as chairman of the sports commission with no knowledge of the goings-on about the NSF.
But swiftly, Shuaibu, through Musa Ebomhiana, his Chief Press Secretary, denied the allegation, saying Odudu-Orumen remained the dejure and defacto chairman of the sports commission in the state.
Ebomhiana said : “It is unfortunate if Dudu-Orumen said so. As it is today, he is the dejure and defacto chairman of the sports commission in the state, nobody has taken over his position. Like I said, he is the dejure and defacto chairman of the sports commission as it stands today.
“He is just being economical with the truth. The deputy governor will not descend to the level of taking over his job as chairman of the sports commission.”
According to the chief press secretary, the deputy governor was among those who made him the chairman in the first place. The governor and his deputy presided over his appointment.
