Edo Assembly appeals judgement nullifying Shaibu’s impeachment

The Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) has appealed the judgement which set aside the impeachment of the state’s former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.

The lawmakers have also filed a stay of execution on the judgement pending the appeal.

The Edo State House of Assembly, had on Monday, April 8, 2024, impeached Shaibu following the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the state chief judge to probe allegations of misconduct against the former deputy governor.

The investigative panel set up the EDHA was headed by Justice S.A. Omonua (retd.) and probed Shaibu on allegations of perjury and leaking of government secrets, ending its sittings with the former deputy governor refusing to appear before it.

Shaibu was impeached by the vote of eighteen out of 19 members of the Assembly present at plenary, while one abstained from the headcount and voting process.

In the wake of Shaibu’s impeachment, Governor Godwin Obaseki picked Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as his deputy to complete his second tenure in office which will end on November 11, 2024.

However in the Wednesday judgment, Justice Omotoso declared the impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly as illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void.