JUST IN: Shaibu Gets Final Chance Today As Impeachment Move Advances

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu has been given the final chance to defend himself in the ongoing move to impeach him.

Shaibu failed to appear to open his defence before the seven-man panel investigating allegations of perjury and divulging government secrets against him on Thursday.

Led by retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa, the panel had its inaugural sitting in Benin on Wednesday and had adjourned until Thursday for Shaibu to begin his defence.

The Edo State House of Assembly, the petitioner in the case, had presented its case on Wednesday, clearing the path for Shaibu to respond to the allegations against him.

However, neither Shaibu nor his lawyer, Prof Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN), were present at the resumed hearing on Thursday. Awoyale, who attended the previous sitting, left midway after the panel rejected his request to suspend the proceedings pending the outcome of Shaibu’s lawsuit filed in Abuja challenging the impeachment move by the state Assembly.

Justice Omonuwa upheld the Assembly’s objection to the suspension plea.

In Awoyale’s absence, the Assembly, represented by Deputy Clerk Joe Ohaifa, reiterated the case against Shaibu, accusing him of leaking government secrets in an affidavit filed in support of his Abuja lawsuit.

According to Ohaifa, Shaibu disclosed documents related to State Executive Council meetings, violating the Oath of Secrecy and contravening the provisions of Schedule 7 of the 1999 Constitution.

After hearing the Assembly’s submission, the panel adjourned until Thursday for Shaibu’s defence. However, neither he nor his lawyer appeared.

Represented by its Legal Officer N.U. Ibrahim, the Assembly attended Thursday’s proceedings. Seeing the absence of the defendant and his representation, Justice Omonuwa adjourned the panel for the last time to April 5, 2024, at noon, to allow Shaibu the opportunity to defend himself.

The impeachment panel was constituted by Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, following the state Assembly’s commencement of impeachment proceedings against Shaibu on March 5. The Assembly cited perjury and divulging government secrets as the basis for the impeachment.