The Edo State House of Assembly has ousted Philip Shaibu from his position as the state’s deputy governor.
Gatekeepers News reports that Shaibu’s impeachment followed the adoption of the report of a seven-man investigative panel appointed by the Assembly to examine allegations of misconduct against him.
Chaired by Justice S.A. Omonua (retd.), the panel concluded its proceedings on Friday after Shaibu failed to appear before it.
He was investigated for allegations of perjury and divulging government secrets.
The panel had adjourned until Thursday for Shaibu to present his defense. However, when he did not appear, he was given until Friday to respond to the accusations, which he did not do.
The state assembly, acting as the petitioner, had presented its case and concluded it, allowing Shaibu the opportunity to rebut the charges.
Shaibu’s legal representative, Oladoyin Awoyale, was present at the opening session on Wednesday but withdrew during the proceedings after the panel declined his request to halt the hearings pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed in Abuja by Shaibu contesting the impeachment process against him.
Omonuwa supported the Assembly’s opposition to the request for suspension, represented by its Deputy Clerk, Joe Ohiafi.
After Awoyale withdrew, Ohiafi proceeded to present the Assembly’s case against Shaibu.
It’s worth recalling that on March 28, Justice I. E. Ekwo directed the respondents – including the Inspector General of Police, State Security Service, the chairman of the impeachment panel (Justice S. A. Omonua (retd.)), and three members of the panel appointed by the fourth defendant, Edo State Chief Judge, and the House of Assembly – to appear in court on April 8 to justify why an injunction to maintain the status quo, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Motion on Notice, should not be granted.
The rift between the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, and Shaibu has been ongoing since the governor refused to endorse the deputy governor’s gubernatorial aspirations. This disagreement culminated in the recent attempt to impeach Shaibu.
In an attempt to halt his impeachment proceedings, Shaibu served Obaseki and the House of Assembly with an originating summons.
Initially, the security at the Government House turned away the bailiff, but Shaibu managed to deliver the summons to the governor via courier. Additionally, the bailiff successfully affixed the summons to the entrance of the state House of Assembly.
However, the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to halt the impeachment proceedings initiated by the Edo State House of Assembly against Shaibu.
