Despite Court Ruling, Obaseki Moves To Impeach Deputy

Indications have emerged that Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, may disobey the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to impeach his Deputy, Philip Shaibu.

The court, on Friday, ruled that all parties should maintain “Status Quo Ante Bellum,” pending the hearing slated for Thursday, August 10. A source told journalists that in disregard to the temporary order, an impeachment ambush has been set for early hours of today.

The source alleged that the haste by the governor is coming on the heels of the fear that the hearing may not favour him, hence, the plan to carry out the impeachment process before the hearing date.

Recall that Shuaibu had approached a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to stop his planned impeachment process. In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1027/2023, the Inspector General of Police (IGP); Department of State Services (DSS); the Governor of Edo State; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly and the state Chief Judge are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants, respectively.

Shaibu, in an interlocutory injunction restraining the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants/respondents or their agents from commencing an impeachment process against him, prayed the court to restrain the governor or other persons acting on his order from harassing and preventing him from effectively discharging his duties as the deputy governor.

In addition to the temporary order in another ruling on July 27, 2023, the defendants were directed to show cause.
It noted that without adherence to pronouncements of the court, any impeachment process is deemed a fruitless adventure in the eyes of the law.

MEANWHILE, People’s Defenders Advocate(PDA), yesterday, warned political actors in Edo, who are heating up the polity ahead of the 2024 governorship election in the state, to desist to avoid plunging the state into an avoidable precipice.

The group equally asked political parties in the state to jettison zoning and throw the contests open for all aspirants to avoid tribal, religious and other primitive considerations.

Speaking to journalists during a press briefing, the Convener, Osadolor Ochei, said the best solution out of the current logjam is for political parties to avoid zoning and throw the contest open to all aspirants.

Ochei, who frowned at the unhealthy political developments in the state ahead of election, said the unwholesome power agitations had reached a dangerous anti-climax.