Edo State Chief Judge, Daniel Okungbowa, has set up a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Deputy Governor of the State, Philip Shaibu.
The Registrar of the Edo State Judiciary, Benson Osawaru, disclosed this in a statement dated March 22, Vanguard newspaper reported.
“This is to bring to the notice of the general public that, in line with Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Honourable Chief Judge of Edo State, Honourable Justice D.I. Okungbowa, has constituted the panel of seven persons to investigate the allegations contained in the impeachment notice against the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Honourable Philip Shaibu.”
“The Panel of seven persons is chaired by Hon Justice S.A. Omonua (Rtd.), while other members are Professor Violet Aigbokhaevbo, Professor Boniface Onomion Edegbai, Professor Theresa Akpoghome, Mr Oghogho Ayodele Oviasu, Surv. Dr Andrew Oliha, and Mr Idris Abdulkareen.”
PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday reported that the Edo State Assembly passed a resolution, asking the chief judge to set up the committee to probe the allegations against Mr Shaibu.
The Assembly Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, during the plenary notified the lawmakers that the seven-day ultimatum given to Mr Shaibu to respond to impeachment notice served on him had expired.
The speaker reminded his colleagues that an impeachment notice was served on the deputy governor on 6 March through a substituted service, published in the Nigerian Observer and Vanguard newspaper on 12 March.
The house, according to the speaker, resorted to substituted service because of the deputy governor’s alleged evasion of service.
The assembly on 6 March commenced impeachment moves against Mr Shaibu, whose political ambition has soured his relationship with Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Charity Aiguobarueghian, said the lawmakers were acting on a petition dated 5 March against Mr Shaibu.
The petition, according to the house leader, was signed by 21 out of 24 lawmakers in the assembly.
The petition, according to the majority leader of the house, was based on perjury and the disclosure of government secrets.
READ ALSO: I can’t be intimidated out of Edo governorship election – Shaibu
Mr Shaibu wants to succeed Mr Obaseki as governor of the state in the forthcoming 21 September election but Mr Obaseki, who prefers another person, Asue Ighodalo as his successor, described his deputy as being “overambitious.”
Mr Ighodalo, a former banker, recently won the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary in the state, while Mr Shaibu emerged winner of a parallel primary in which he was the only aspirant.
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