BENIN (Sundiata Post) – The political drama in Edo State took a fresh turn yesterday as Philip Shaibu formally announced his resumption as the deputy governor.
After Shaibu was impeached by the House of Assembly on April 8 while Governor Godwin Obaseki picked Omobayo Godwins as his deputy.
But, in July, James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, held that the impeachment violated the provisions of the law.
The judge ordered Shaibu’s reinstatement and directed the Inspector General of Police to restore his security details.
In a video on X yesterday, Shaibu said his reinstatement was a “testament to the divine grace of God and the steadfast prayer of all Nigerians.”
He added that he has not received any response from Obaseki on the reinstatement of his aides.
“My reinstatement as deputy governor of Edo state is testament to the divine grace of God and the steadfast prayer of all Nigerians,” Shaibu said.
“In recent weeks, the federal high court in Abuja reinstated me as the deputy governor of Edo, acknowledging the illegality of the impeachment.
“Upon my arrival in Benin, a tragic event occurred as an assassination attempt was made on my life.
“Thankfully, the bullet missed its mark, but unfortunately, hit an armed policeman assigned to the APC governorship candidate for the upcoming September election.
Shaibu said he had informed Governor Obaseki of his resumption and that his aides should be restored but that he had not got any response and cautioned banks dealing with the office of the deputy governor.
Consequently, security was beefed up on the road leading to the office of the deputy governor along Osadebey Avenue which was blocked from its entrance from Vincent Agenmome road and the intersection by the Police Cottage Hospital.
Two guns mounted on unmarked black hilux vans were positioned at the both ends while three sienna vans with armed security men were also stationed along the road.
At the entrance to Government House from Reservation Road, a van with armed men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was stationed while the passage to the Government House was reduced to one lane for proper scrutiny of any vehicle going in and out of the seat of government with three security vehicles mounted in addition to the usual security vehicles in the area.
The statement issued by Commissioner for Information, Chris Nehikhare, while putting security agencies at alert of a potential breach of peace urged that Shaibu should be held responsible for any security breach in the State arising from his ignoble actions.
“It has come to the attention of the Edo State Government that the former Deputy Governor, Comr. Philip Shaibu, has been carrying out correspondence with different institutions and organisations both within and outside the State in a clear case of impersonation.
“In the interest of the safety of these organizations, we want to restate that Shaibu is not the Deputy Governor of Edo State and every correspondence from him in that regard should be disregarded and considered a forgery.
“The issue of his purported reinstatement is still active in court and the next hearing for the two separate motions filed by the State Government and the Edo House of Assembly challenging the purported reinstatement by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court is fixed for 24 September, 2024.
“The State through the Attorney General of Edo State and the Edo House of Assembly by their lawyers, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, and Ken Mozia, SAN, respectively, had in the motions sought an order for a stay of the execution of the purported reinstatement and an order suspending the judgment and restraining Shaibu from parading himself or attending any official function as deputy governor pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.
“Therefore, the status quo is that His Excellency, Omobayo Marvelous Godwins, remains the deputy governor of Edo State and any correspondence carried out by any other person, including Philip Shaibu is an act of impersonation, and anyone who deals with him does so at his or her own risk”, the statement added.
