Philip Shaibu was impeached based on allegations of perjury and disclosing official secrets.
The Edo State House of Assembly has impeached the Deputy Governor of the state Philip Shaibu.
Shaibu‘s impeachment followed the conclusion of a panel instituted by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa on Monday on allegations of perjury and disclosing official secrets.
The seven-member team began its investigation into Shaibu’s alleged misdeeds last Wednesday and concluded it last Friday.
READ ALSO: Obaseki vs Shaibu again as Edo Assembly begins impeachment process
Although called to respond to the accusations, the Deputy Governor and his attorney did not appear, and the committee however presented its report to the Edo State Assembly.
A head count of the lawmakers who supported and opposed Shaibu’s impeachment was carried out by House Clerk, Yahaya Omogbai.
Out of the 19 members present in the plenary, 18 voted in favour of the deputy governor’s impeachment, and one member did not participate in the headcount or voting.
According to the House clerk, the impeachment process required the support of two-thirds (16 members of the House).
A few hours after Shaibu’s impeachment, 38-year-old Omobayo Godwins, a graduate of Electrical Electronics Engineering and hails from the Akoko-Edo local government area of the state was sworn in as a replacement.
In response to his impeachment, Shaibu criticised the action as unlawful, condemned it for endangering the nation’s democracy, and said that the lawmakers had betrayed the people who had elected them as well as the state.
According to him, the impeachment did not follow due process and was done due to his ambition to become the state governor.
Shaibu made this statement in a video shared on his X handle on Monday. He said, “My good people of Edo State, I thank you all for standing by me in these troubling circumstances as the deputy governor of Edo State.
“It is with a heavy heart, yet a resolute spirit, that I come before you to address the recent events that are unfolding in our dear state. I denounce in the strongest term the illegal impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly over baseless charges. This is not just an attack on me as an individual but on the democracy that we hold dear.
“It is a dangerous descent into dictatorship and a threat to the foundation of our democracy. Let it be clear that this impeachment was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo State 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. An ambition that is a legal right to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Speaking further, he claimed that the lawmakers in the State Assembly had “chosen to forsake their oath of office and participated” in his impeachment.
“It is a sad reality that those in power seem to silence opposition through illegitimate means. I have dedicated my love to serving the good people of Edo State with integrity and honesty.
“History will judge you harshly for your betrayal of people who elected you to represent them.”
