The Edo State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu. The announcement was made during plenary on Wednesday by the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Charity Aiguobarueghian, representing Ovia North East 1 constituency.
According to Aiguobarueghian, a petition against the deputy governor, dated March 5, 2024, was endorsed by 21 out of the 24 lawmakers. The petition alleges charges of perjury and divulging Edo State government secrets. Aiguobarueghian emphasized that the number of lawmakers endorsing the petition meets the required two-thirds majority as stipulated in the constitution.
In response to the petition, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, directed the clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, to serve the impeachment notice on Shaibu. Agbebaku further confirmed that the deputy governor has been given seven days to respond to the impeachment notice.
The strained relationship between Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki has been evident in recent months. Shaibu, in a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, attributed the fallout with Obaseki to his ambition to succeed him as the governor of Edo State. He revealed that Obaseki is displeased with his decision not to support his preferred candidate.
Shaibu stated, “He has not been happy that I’m not supporting his candidate. It is my right to contest in an election, and I’m exercising that right. And he has done a lot of negative things. It doesn’t matter; I see it as politics.”
Source: ChannelsTV
