TELL Magazine

The push finally came to shove in the squabble between Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his estranged deputy, Philip Shaibu, as the embattled number two citizen was shoved aside in an impeachment exercise on Monday. In his place is a 38-year-old Labour Party candidate for the House of Representatives in Akoko-Edo local government area, Godwin Marvellous Omobayo, an engineer.

Shaibu’s impeachment was in spite of a pending case at a Federal High court in Abuja which resumed today (Monday) challenging the move to oust him from office. He had also sought an injunction restraining the state House of Assembly from impeaching him.

When the case came up on March 28, 2024, Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo ordered the respondents – Inspector General of Police, State Security Service, the chairman of the impeachment panel, Justice Stephen Omonua (retd), and three members of the panel of seven appointed by the 4th defendant, Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, and the House of Assembly, to be at the court Monday April 8, to show cause why the injunction to maintain status quo, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Motion on Notice, should not be granted.

However, same day, 18 members of the House of Assembly voted to impeach the deeply embattled deputy governor following the consideration of the report of the impeachment panel which investigated the allegations against him.

The impeachment, the first in the history of the state, marked the climax of the bitter feud between the duo which arose over succession disagreement. Against the interest of Governor Obaseki, Shaibu had insisted on contesting the September 21 governorship election to succeed his principal.

Present at plenary where Shaibu’s fate was sealed, were 20 members, including the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, 18 out of which voted in favour of the impeachment, while one member abstained.

The process commenced with the Clerk of the House reading out Order 10-Presentation and consideration of the seven-man panel report of allegation of gross misconducts against the deputy governor, listed in Assembly’s items for consideration.

Shortly after, the Majority Leader of the House, Charity Aiguobarueghan, representing Ovia Northeast 1, moved for the consideration of the report. His motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Eric Okaka, Owan East. Consequently, the Speaker assumed chairmanship of the committee of the whole House to consider the report.

During the presentation of the report, Donald Okogbe, Akoko-Edo II, rose to object to part C of the report, but his objection was overruled by the Speaker.

The House thereafter resolved that while the allegation of perjury against the deputy governor was not proved, the second allegation of disclosure of official secrets was upheld. At this stage, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Assembly moved and seconded a motion, respectively, that the Speaker reverted to his position as Speaker of the House.

The Majority Leader further moved that with regard to section 188 subsection 9 of the Constitution, the report be put to vote. At the end of the voting exercise, 18 members voted in support of the impeachment, while one member abstained.

In his remark, the Speaker noted that more than two-third majority of the House voted and endorsed the impeachment, and consequently pronounced that “I hereby, from my seat, announce that the deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, stands impeached”.

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