JUST IN: How Former Insurance Striker, Shaibu Was Impeached By EDHA
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) today, 8th April, 2024 impeached the embattled Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu, following the consideration of the report of the Justice S. A. Omonuwa (Rtd) led a seven-man panel report set up by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.
The Assembly which began sitting at 9.41am voted for the impeachment of the deputy governor by a vote of 18 against one who voted against, among the 20 members present with the speaker expected to give the deciding vote in case of a tie.
Shaibu, according to Justice Stephen Omonuwa (Rtd)-led a seven-man panel, to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct levelled against the deputy governor, submitted that the deputy governor was guilty of disclosure of official secret.
The panel, however, exonerated the impeached deputy governor on the allegation of perjury as it was not “made up”, that is proven.
Last week, the Edo House of Assembly started the impeachment proceedings against Shaibu. Twenty-one of the 24 lawmakers signed a petition to that effect.
They accused Shaibu of perjury and disclosure of the state government’s secrets.
During its plenary last Tuesday, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly Blessing Agbebaku told the lawmakers that the seven-day ultimatum granted Shaibu to respond to the impeachment notice served on him had expired.
The speaker reminded the lawmakers that the impeachment notice was served on Shaibu on March 6, 2024. But due to what he described as the deputy governor’s alleged evasion of service, the Edo House of Assembly ordered a substituted service.
Agbebaku said the substituted service was published in the Nigerian Observer and the Vanguard Newspapers on March 12, 2024. He said March 19, 2024, made it seven days.
The Majority Leader of the Edo House of Assembly Charity Aiguobarueghan representing Ovia North-East 1 Constituency then moved a motion that Justice Okungbowa be directed to set up a committee to probe the petition against Shaibu.
Shaibu’s impeachment is a culmination of the political impasse between the deputy governor and his principal Governor Godwin Obaseki.
