Edo Deputy Governor, Shuaibu Asks Impeachment Panel To Halt Sitting, Citing Court Order

By Ayodele Oni

Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shaibu, has challenged the legality of the seven member investigative panel on his impending impeachment.

As the panel commenced sitting on Wednesday, the embattled deputy governor raised a point of law as regards its continued sitting.

Shuaibu, through his lawyer prayed the seven-member investigative panel, to obey an interlocutory injunction of a Federal High Court, Abuja.

The lawyer, Prof. Oladoyin Awoyale, SAN, said the panel’s sitting to investigate his client would amount to a fait accompli.

He argued that there was a subsisting order of interlocutory injunction granted by an Abuja Federal High Court and further hearing had been adjourned to April 8.

Awoyale argued that with the court’s order, all parties were advised to obey the ruling.

However, counsel to the House of Assembly and Deputy Clerk, Legal Department, Joe Oaifi, argued that the panel’s sitting was supported by Section 188 (10) of the constitution which foreclosed any court from preventing the House of Assembly and the panel from discharging its constitutional responsibilities.

The State Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa,  had constituted a  panel headed by retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa.

The panel has the mandate to investigate the allegation of misconduct levelled against the deputy governor by the Edo State House of Assembly.

Names of two of the panel members that earlier announced their withdrawal have been replaced.