Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu has been impeached by the state House of Assembly.
The Deputy Governor’s impeachment came after consideration and adoption of the panel report by the State House of Assembly on Monday.
Meanwhile, reports reaching the Daily Independent Correspondent indicated that a new deputy governor has been nominated.
He is 38 years-old Omobayo Marvellous Godwins from Akoko-Edo local government areas of the state.
The seven-man panel set up to investigate alleged gross misconduct levelled against Philip Shaibu, by the Edo State House of Assembly rounded off its sitting last week Friday.
The panel was constituted by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, on March 22, 2024, in line with the resolution of the State House of Assembly to investigate an impeachment petition against the deputy governor which bothered on allegations of gross misconduct and perjury.
At the Friday sitting, the chairman of the panel, retired Justice Omonua said the sitting was adjourned to Friday to give more opportunity to the respondent to present his defence.
According to him, having given the respondent an ample opportunity to open defence but he refused, the panel would go ahead and write its report as required by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Retired Justice Omonua said: “This is the position of the panel. The panel adjourned sitting to today (Friday) for the last time for the respondent to present its defence, and the respondent is still not before the panel.
“The panel is therefore closing its sitting to retire to consider its report as provided by the constitution.”
Recall that the panel commenced sitting on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, where Professor Oladoyin Awoyale, SAN, counsel to the deputy governor, withdrew from participating in the proceedings after the panel had ruled against his motion.
Awoyale, in his submission had urged the panel to comply with a Federal High Court, Abuja, order by J.E. Ekwo that ordered the panel to show cause on why an interlocutory injunction to maintain the status quo on the proceeding of the petition.
However responding to the counsel to the Deputy Governor, a member of the panel, President Aigbokhan, called attention of the counsel to subsequent paragraph of the Federal High Court ruling which he subsequently read and apologized to the panel that he was just reading prayers of the complaint (deputy governor) and not the ruling.
He, thereafter, begged the panel to take a leave, stating that he cannot be a party to the panel, which was granted.
The panel thereafter continues sitting, stating that there was no court order restraining it sitting; and that it (the panel) is protected by Section 188(10) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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