A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has again restrained the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, from instigating any alleged impeachment process against his deputy, Philip Shaibu.
The court gave the ruling pending the determination of the matter.
Additionally, Shaibu was prevented from being detained, arrested, or subjected to harassment by the Inspector General of Police or Department of State Service (DSS).
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The Deputy Governor had submitted an ex parte motion and a move on notice to the court, asking it to halt the alleged impeachment proceedings against him.
The Governor of Edo State, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, and the Chief Judge of Edo State are the first through fifth defendants in the lawsuit with number FHC/ABJ/ CS/1027/2023.
In his earlier ruling on Friday, August 4, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed had instructed the parties in the lawsuit to maintain the “Status quo ante bellum”.
Additionally, he ordered the defendants to provide justification for rejecting the plaintiff’s request for interim orders.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, George Ibrahim, informed the court at the resumed hearing on Thursday, August 10, that the third, fourth, and fifth defendants had shown cause and had received their counter affidavits from them.
In response, I. Awo, counsel for the second defendant, argued that the DSS shouldn’t have been included in the case.
However, he requested the court’s permission to take the necessary action.
The presiding judge made a decision and instructed the parties to follow it up until the case was resolved.
The second defendant was given two working days to provide justification and postponed the hearing until August 22.
Recently, there has been a decline in the friendship between Obaseki and Shaibu, his deputy.
According to reports, Obaseki and his deputy’s relationship has soured ahead the Edo state governorship contest next year.
Obaseki and Shaibu had different roles in the previous governor, Adams Oshiomhole’s government.
Obaseki led the economic team, and Shaibu previously served as a member of the Edo State House of Assembly.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance