The Court of Appeal on Tuesday, in Abuja, declares the lower court judgment that reinstated Philip Shaibu as the Deputy Governor of Edo State.
The court while passing judgment as regards to the appeal placed before it by Edo State House of Assembly, dismissed the appeal seeking to uphold Shaibu’s impeachment.
Fusion Chronicles gathered that Shaibu was impeached on April 8, 2024, after the adoption of the report of a seven-man committee set up by the state Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to investigate allegations of misconduct against him.
Charity Aiguobarueghian, the House Majority Leader, said that while the report of the panel was unable to establish the case of perjury brought against Shaibu, the panel still found him guilty of disclosure of government secrets.
However, Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court, in Abuja, on July 17, voided the impeachment and ordered his immediate reinstatement, noting that the allegation on which the House of Assembly based the impeachment proceedings was undefendable in law and constituted gross misconduct.
He then asked the Inspector-General of Police to provide him with needed security to enable him to resume office and perform the functions of the office until the end of his tenure.
The appellant court also put aside the appointment of Omobayo Godwin as the new deputy governor, replacing Shaibu and further warned that any individual, aside from Shaibu, parading themselves as deputy governor would face legal consequences.
