The Edo State House of Assembly has initiated the impeachment process against the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu. The petition for his impeachment was presented during a plenary session on Wednesday.
The Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian, disclosed that the petition, signed by 21 out of 24 members, was dated March 5, 2024, surpassing the two-thirds requirement specified in Section 188 (2a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The petition, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, outlined undisclosed grounds for the impeachment.
Acknowledging the receipt of the petition, the Speaker stated that the Deputy Governor has been given seven days to respond.
The Speaker instructed the clerk of the house, Yahaya Omogbai, to serve the impeachment notice on Shaibu.
Speculations suggest that Shaibu's impeachment notice may be linked to his recent disagreement with Governor Godwin Obaseki, particularly in the aftermath of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial election primaries in the state.
Shaibu had previously raised concerns about a purported plan to impeach him, attributing it to his gubernatorial aspirations. He was elected as the PDP candidate during a separate primary election held at his residence in Benin City, while Asue Ighodalo emerged as the winner in another PDP primary held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.
