The Edo State House of Assembly impeached the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, during its plenary session on Monday in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.
Shaibu’s impeachment follows the adoption of a report presented by a seven-man committee appointed by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa. The committee was tasked with investigating allegations of misconduct against the deputy governor.
This development transpired on Monday, overshadowing a scheduled sitting at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Shaibu had filed a lawsuit challenging the impeachment proceedings initiated against him by the Edo State House of Assembly.
The impeachment proceedings were set in motion last week when 21 of the 24 lawmakers signed a petition accusing Shaibu of perjury and unauthorized disclosure of state government secrets.
During last Tuesday’s plenary session, Speaker Blessing Agbebaku informed the assembly that Shaibu had been served with an impeachment notice on March 6, 2024. However, due to alleged evasion of service, the assembly resorted to a substituted service, publishing the notice in the Nigerian Observer and the Vanguard Newspapers on March 12, 2024.
With the seven-day ultimatum for Shaibu’s response expiring on March 19, 2024, the Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghan, moved a motion for Justice Okungbowa to form a committee to probe the allegations against the deputy governor.
