What Led to Impeachment of Philip Shaibu as Edo Deputy Governor – Majority Leader [Video]

Philip Shaibu’s impeachment is a culmination of the political impasse between the deputy governor and his principal Godwin Obaseki.

The battle which witnessed several twists and turns, claims, counter claims, apologies, and court cases, was an offshoot of the duo’s tainted relationship owing to Shaibu’s plans to contest the Edo State governorship election billed for September.

Obaseki alleged that Shaibu was plotting a “coup” to remove him from office. Conversely, Shaibu accused Obaseki of attempting to incite the Edo State House of Assembly to impeach him.

Later on, Shaibu ran in the PDP gubernatorial primary and proclaimed himself the winner in a parallel election. Nevertheless, businessman Asue Ighodalo was officially announced as the party’s candidate for the upcoming election.

During the plenary in Benin, the House Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian, reported that the seven-man panel’s findings presented to the House implicated Shaibu in the disclosure of government secrets.

Aiguobarueghian also revealed that while the panel could not substantiate the perjury charges against the deputy governor, it did make two findings and one recommendation, which formed the basis for the impeachment decision.

According to him, “the seven-man judicial panel of inquiry recommended that the deputy governor be impeached on ground of disclosure of government secrets.’’

During voting on the motion, 18 out of 19 members present at plenary voted for the impeachment of the deputy governor while one abstained from the head count and voting process.

The Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, conducted a head count of the lawmakers who voted for and against the impeachment of Shaibu.

The clerk said with the figure, the House stated that it met 2/3 (16 members of the House were needed to carry out the impeachment).

The Assembly upheld and approved the recommendation of the seven-man panel and thereafter impeached the deputy governor.

The speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, directed the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, to forward copies of the impeachment to Governor Godwin Obaseki for assent.