The Edo State House of Assembly has set in motion impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing feud between him and Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Majority Leader Charity Aiguobarueghian, addressing the Assembly during plenary, disclosed that a petition dated March 5, signed by 21 out of the 24 members, triggered the move against the deputy governor. Aiguobarueghian emphasized that the number of signatories surpassed the constitutional requirement for a two-thirds majority.
“The petition against the deputy governor came in on March 5 and was signed by 21 out of the 24 members,” Aiguobarueghian stated. “The number of members who signed the petition was more than the two-third requirement stipulated in the constitution.”
The grounds for the petition, as outlined by Aiguobarueghian, include allegations of perjury and disclosure of government secrets by the deputy governor.
Acknowledging the receipt of the petition, Speaker Blessing Agbebaku instructed the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, to serve Shaibu with the impeachment notice. Agbebaku also granted Shaibu a seven-day window to respond to the allegations levelled against him.
This development is the latest chapter in the ongoing rift between Governor Obaseki and his deputy, which has been escalating since mid-last year. The feud reached its zenith when Shaibu publicly declared his intention to contest for the governorship of the state, further straining the already tense relationship between the two top officials.