In a dramatic turn of events, the Edo State House of Assembly has impeached Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, marking the culmination of a longstanding political feud between Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The impeachment proceedings, which took place during a tense plenary session in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, were triggered by allegations of misconduct and the disclosure of government secrets by Shaibu. Following the acceptance of the report by a seven-member judicial panel of inquiry appointed by Chief Judge Daniel Okungbowa, the House of Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of Shaibu’s impeachment.
During the session, Majority Leader Charity Aiguobarueghian revealed that while the panel’s report did not substantiate the charge of perjury against Shaibu, it did find him guilty of divulging confidential information. With 18 out of 19 members present voting in favor of impeachment, the decision was swiftly ratified, meeting the required two-thirds majority.
The timing of Shaibu’s impeachment coincides with the resumption of legal proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he has contested the legitimacy of the impeachment process initiated by the Edo State House of Assembly. The impeachment motion, spearheaded by a petition signed by 21 out of 24 lawmakers, underscores the deep-seated tensions within Edo’s political landscape.
In response to his impeachment, Shaibu condemned the move as an assault on democracy and accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of orchestrating the plot to stifle his gubernatorial ambitions. The strained relationship between Shaibu and Obaseki, fueled by the former’s aspirations to run for governor, has been marred by allegations of coup plots and attempts to undermine each other’s authority.
Despite Shaibu’s victory in the PDP primary for governor, which positioned him as a formidable contender in the upcoming elections, the political rivalry between him and Obaseki has reached a boiling point. As Edo State navigates through this turbulent period, the fallout from Shaibu’s impeachment underscores the intricate power dynamics at play within the state’s political arena.
