THE Edo State House of Assembly on Wednesday, March 6, commenced the move to impeach the state’s Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu.
Shaibu is being accused of perjury and revelation of government secrets.
The majority leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian, who issued the impeachment notice during plenary, stated that the petition, dated March 5, was signed by 21 of the 24 members against the deputy governor.
Aiguobarueghian further noted that the number of members who signed the petition was more than the two-thirds requirement stipulated in Section 188 (2a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The petition against the deputy governor came in on March 5 and was signed by 21 out of the 24 members. The number of members who signed the petition was more than the two-third requirement stipulated in the constitution,” Aiguobarueghian stated.
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The Speaker, who acknowledged the receipt of the petition, said the petition was based on two grounds and directed the clerk of the house, Yahaya Omogbai, to serve the impeachment notice on Shaibu.
Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives and the ex-Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly was given seven days to respond to the allegations levelled against him.
Shaibu’s impeachment notice might not be unconnected to his face-off with the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
The move came a few days after Shaibu said he had been receiving impeachment threats over his involvement in the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noting that nothing will deter him from contesting for the Edo governorship election which he described as his constitutional right.
The ICIR reports that Shaibu was declared a factional governorship primary election winner on February 22.
However, Asue Ighodalo emerged as the winner of another PDP primary exercise held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, becoming the flagbearer endorsed by the PDP national leadership and the preferred candidate of Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo.
The impeachment notice is the most recent development in the ongoing conflict between the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, who has been at odds since last year when Shaibu announced his intention to run for governor of the state.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M