ON Monday, April 8 2023, Philip Shaibu joined the long list of deputy governors who have been impeached in Nigeria following several rifts between him and the governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki.
The ICIR reported that Shaibu’s impeachment was adopted after a 7-man panel investigation was set up by the state’s chief judge, Daniel Okungbowa, to probe allegations of misconduct against him.
The panel found him responsible for the offence of revealing official secrets. Of the 20 state assembly members present, 18 voted in favour of the impeachment, while one opposed it, cementing the resolution to impeach Shaibu.
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Several reports by The ICIR have captured the prolonged battle between Obaseki and Shaibu, especially the latter’s interest in succeeding the former as state governor in the upcoming gubernatorial elections in September 2024.
Meanwhile, a look through media reports has shown that between 1999 and 2024, 24 years of Nigeria’s uninterrupted democracy, 18 deputy governors have been impeached in 16 states.
Trend on impeachment
Here are the lists of deputy governors who have been impeached from office:
Iyiola Omisore:
In November 2002, Iyiola Omisore, Osun state’s deputy governor, was impeached following the endorsement of 17 out of 26 lawmakers in the state’s assembly.
Omisore was accused of breach of oath of office and conflict of interest with the state government.
He was also said to have divulged official secrets of the State Executive Council (SEC) and dragged the state government to court over a 1.5 million dollar water chemical contract.
Abubakar Argungu:
Abubakar Argungu, who was the first deputy governor to governor Adamu Aliero of Kebbi state, was impeached after being found guilty, by an investigative panel, of misdemeanour in office. He was removed from office in December 2002.
Enyinnaya Abaribe:
In March 2003, the Abia State House of Assembly impeached the deputy governor of the state, Enyinnaya Abaribe, for gross misconduct. His impeachment was reported seven days after he resigned from office.
Uba Maigari Ahmadu:
The Taraba state deputy governor, Uba Maigari Ahmadu, was impeached in March 2004 by the House of Assembly following a report by an investigation panel set up by the state chief judge, Adamu Aliyu.
Ahmadu was found guilty of five out of the seven allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him.
Abiodun Aluko:
The former deputy governor of Ekiti state, Abiodun Aluko, who had a long rift with the then governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose, was impeached in September 2005 after being alleged of 16 impeachable offences raised against him by the lawmakers, 22 of who voted for his removal.
Chris Ekpenyong:
In 2005, the Akwa-Ibom State House of Assembly, impeached the embattled deputy governor, Obong Chris Ekpenyong, following allegations of gross misconduct.
However, the intervention of the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, forced the lawmakers to reverse the impeachment.
Ekpenyong was later forced to resign.
Otunba Femi Pedro:
The former deputy governor, Otunba Pedro, was impeached in May 2007, by the Lagos state House of Assembly, after a resolution adopted by the 32 members of the Assembly.
The impeachment came 24 hours after Pedro announced that he had tendered his letter of resignation from office.
Garba Gadi:
Garba Gadi was impeached in 2009 by the Bauchi state assembly following the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up to probe the allegations against him.
Prior to this impeachment, the deputy governor had a rift with former Governor Isa Yuguda over the refusal of the deputy to decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Peremobowei Ebebi:
The former Bayelsa state deputy governor, Peremobowei Ebebi, was, sacked by the state assembly in June 2010, just barely 23 days after the assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against him.
Ebebi was impeached for allegedly being guilty of nine of the 10 offences levelled against him.
Sani Abubakar:
In October 2012, 20 out of 24 members of the Taraba State House of Assembly removed the state’s Deputy Governor, Sani Abubakar, from office on allegations of fraud and abuse of office.
The assembly upheld the recommendations of a seven-member judicial commission of inquiry against the deputy governor.
Jude Agbaso:
In 2013, Jude Agbaso was sacked as the deputy governor of Imo State by the State House of Assembly.
His removal was following the adoption of a report of a judicial panel which investigated allegations of impropriety against him.
However, in 2021, the court nullified the assembly’s impeachment.
Sunday Onyebuchi:
The deputy governor of the Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi, was impeached by the 24-man members of the state assembly in August 2014, over an indictment on misconduct.
His impeachment was, however, nullified by the court a year later.
Ali Olanusi:
In 2015, the Ondo state deputy governor, Ali Olanusi, was impeached by 22 out of the 26 members of the Assembly who alleged that the deputy governor was involved in financial misappropriation, absenteeism from official duties and causing disaffection in the state cabinet.
Eze Madumere:
The deputy governor of Imo state, Eze Madumere, was sacked from office in July 2018 by 19 of the 27 members of the Imo House of Assembly.
The assembly was said to have received a report by a seven-member panel set up by the state chief judge which allegedly the deputy governor of gross misconduct.
Simon Achuba:
Simon Achuba, a deputy governor of Kogi state, was impeached in 2019 by members of the Kogi State House of Assembly following the submission of a report of the committee set up by the State chief judge, Nasir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against the former deputy governor.
In 2022, an industrial court in Abuja ordered the Kogi State Government to pay Achuba N180 million and all security votes.
Mahdi Aliyu Gusau:
The Zamfara House of Assembly, in 2022, impeached Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, a former deputy governor of the state after receiving the report of the seven-member committee set up by Kulu Aliyu, chief judge of the state, to investigate the allegations against the deputy governor.
Rauf Olaniyan:
In July 2022, the Oyo State House of Assembly impeached the deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan, during its plenary.
The assembly found the deputy governor guilty of all the allegations levelled against him following the reports of a seven-man panel constituted by the state chief judge, Munta Abimbola.
Let us know if we skipped anyone in the comment section.
Kehinde Ogunyale tells stories by using data to hold power into account. You can send him a mail at jameskennyogunyale@gmail or Twitter: Prof_KennyJames | LinkedIn: Kehinde Ogunyale