By Gideon Njoku
Months before he officially leaves office as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, the exit bell is tolling for Philip Shaibu the Deputy Governor of Edo State.
If things work out as planned by the Edo State House of Assembly, with, allegedly, the full support of the Governor, Godwin Obaseki, Shaibu would be out of office soon.
After months of squabbles between him and Obaseki which has led to Shaibu’s public humiliation of him by his principal, attempted moves to impeach him, the chicken is, finally, coming home to roost.
Having failed in the Courts to stop the impeachment process by the House of Assembly, Edo Chief Judge, the Honourable Justice Daniel Okungbowa constituted a panel to probe Shaibu.
Following Tuesday’s resolution by the House, Chief Judge Okungbowa set up the seven-man panel to probe the petition against Shaibu.
Shaibu was served the notice of impeachment by the House on March 6, 2024. He is accused of alleged misconduct and perjury and was given a seven-day ultimatum to respond to the petition.
When, according to the House, Shaibu avoided to be served, the notice, it was served by a substituted means through the Observer Newspaper, owned by the Edo State Government and the Vanguard Newspapers.
The notice was published on March 12, 2024.
Members of Panel include the Honourable Justice
S.A. Omonua (Rtd) as Chairman, Professors Violet Aigbokhaevbo, Faculty of Law, UNIBEN, Boniface Onomion Edegbai, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, UNIBEN, Theresa Akpoghome, former Dean, Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University,
Surveyor Andrew Oliha, Oghogho Ayodele Oviasu and Idris Abdulkareen.
Shaibu and his Principal, Obaseki, fell out over Shaibu’s ambition to run for the office of the Governor so as to possibly succeed Obaseki in office. The Governor refused to support him and asked him to stand down. He never did. He participated in the Primary in which he claimed victory while another aspirant, who had the Governor’s support, Asue Ighodalo was declared the duly elected candidate.
Shaibu has since gone to Court to ask that he be given the ticket, claiming he won it.
