Edo Assembly commences impeachment proceedings against Obaseki’s deputy

The Edo State House of Assembly has commenced the impeachment process against the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.

The petition for the impeachment of the deputy governor was read Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, at a plenary session of the house, March 6, 2024.

He said the house received the petition dated March 5, and that the petition was on two grounds which was not made public.

Agbebaku said the petition was signed by 21 members of the house.

But the house, however, gave the deputy governor seven days to respond to the petition.

Recall that the relationship between governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy Philip Shaibu, got strained following the later’s move to succeed his boss.

Shaibu had initially gone to court to seek a restraining order against the governor, House of Assembly, Chief Judge of the state among others, but he later withdrew the suit.

In the suit filed at a federal high court in Abuja, the inspector-general of police, state security service, governor of Edo, speaker of Edo state house of assembly, and chief judge of Edo state, were listed as first to fifth defendants, respectively.

Shaibu had asked the court to restrain the governor, the speaker of the state assembly, and the chief judge, from “initiating impeachment proceedings or sanctioning any impeachment” against him.

However, the deputy governor backtracked, attributing the development to intervention from “well-meaning citizens of Edo”.

“Arising from the series of meetings held with me and also with Mr. Governor by well-meaning Edolites and indeed Nigerians including party leaders, traditional rulers, and my archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, the Archbishop of Benin Archdiocese on the issues that led to my going to court on the above-named suit,” he had said in a statement.

“And with due respect to these eminent personalities and leaders whose persuasions and persons I cannot ignore, I, Rt. Hon. comrade Philip Shaibu have authorized and instructed my solicitors to withdraw the suit forthwith.

“I wish to sincerely thank and appreciate these well-meaning Nigerians, party leaders, traditional rulers, and my archbishop, His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Akubeze for their kind words, advise and encouragement thus far in ensuring peace and unity in our dear state, Edo.

“I also wish to place on record my special thanks to Mr Governor, my boss and senior brother for this path of peace.”

Obaseki had denied knowledge of the impeachment plot, saying his deputy was planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).