*Edo political crisis deepens as State House of Assembly impeaches Philip Shaibu
*Impeachment follows adoption of recommendation of 7-man judicial panel
*Shaibu was found guilty of disclosure of govt secrets by the panel
*I was impeached over trumped-up charges, Shaibu insists
By Owen Eresoyen, Benin
Edo House of Assembly on Monday impeached the State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu following the adoption of the recommendation of the seven-man judicial panel led by retired Justice Stephen Omonua.
At plenary in Benin, the Majority Leader of the
House Charity Aiguobarueghian said the report of the 7-man judicial panel of inquiry presented to the House had two findings and one recommendation.
Aiguobarueghian further disclosed that the report of the panel was unable to establish the case of perjury leveled against the Deputy Governor while the panel found him guilty of disclosure of government secrets.
According to the report, the 7-man judicial panel of inquiry recommended that the Deputy Governor be impeached on grounds of disclosure of government secrets.
The Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai conducted a head count of the lawmakers who voted for and against the impeachment of Shaibu.
Eighteen out of the19 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 stated that 2/316 members of the House were needed to carry out the impeachment.
The Assembly thereafter upheld and approved the recommendation of the seven-man panel and thereafter impeached the Deputy Governor.
The Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku thereafter directed the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai to forward copies of the impeachment to Governor Godwin Obaseki for his assent.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has sworn-in Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as the new Deputy Governor following the impeachment of Comrade Philip Shaibu by the state House of Assembly.
Omobayo hails from Akoko-Edo Local Government Area in the same Edo North Senatorial District, where the impeached Deputy Governor came from.
Born July 19, 1986, Omobayo is said to be a “seasoned engineer with a proven track record of progressive professional experience in the oil and gas sector”.
However, while reacting to his impeachment, Shuaibu said he denounced in strong terms his illegal impeachment by the Edo state House of Assembly over trumped-up charges.
“This is not just an attack on me as an individual, but on the very democratic principles that we hold dear. It is a dangerous descent into dictatorship and a threat to the foundation of our democracy.
“Let me be clear, I believe that this impeachment was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo 2024 governorship elections under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It is a sad reality that in our political landscape, ambition is met with resistance, and those in powers seek to silence opposition through illegitimate means.
“I have dedicated my life to serving the good people of Edo State with integrity and honesty. I have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of our citizens and to uphold the values of democracy and justice. And yet, in return, I am faced with baseless accusations and a blatant disregard for due process and the rule of law.
“The allegations brought against me are nothing more than a smokescreen to conceal the true motive behind this impeachment. It is a flagrant abuse of power and a betrayal of the trust that the people of Edo State have placed in their elected officials”, he lamented.
