Lawmakers impeach Shaibu as Edo deputy governor, swear-in Omobayo

…Shuaibu cries foul

By Elvis Omoregie, Benin

The Heart Beat State of the Nation, Edo state, yesterday witnessed the first major Deputy Governor impeachment since 1999, as Comrade Philip Shaibu was on Monday morning impeached by the Edo  State House of Assembly.

Shaibu, who was investigated by a seven-man panel headed by Justice S. A. Omonuwa (Rtd), was said to have been found guilty of revealing official secrets.

His impeachment was signed by eighteen members out of nineteen, excluding the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, who was not eligible to vote.

Reacting to the impeachment, the impeached Edo deputy governor, Philip Shaibu denounced in strong terms his impeachment by the State House of Assembly.

In his words, “This is not just an attack on me as an individual but on the democratic principle we hold, and it is a dangerous threat to the foundation of our democracy.

“Let it be clear that this impeachment was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo State 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); an ambition that is a legal right to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It’s a pity that in our political landscape my vision is meant with resistance and those in power seize to be silent.

“I have dedicated my life to serving the good people of Edo State with integrity and honesty. I have worked tirelessly to improve the life of our citizens, I have upheld the values of democracy and justice. And yet in return I am faced with business accusations and a blunted disregard for due process and rule of law.

“The allegations against me are nothing more than a full screen to conceal the true motive behind this impeachment.

“It’s a fragrant abuse of power and a betrayal of the trust that the people of Edo have placed in their elected officials.

“We refuse to stay inactive while our democratic institutions are manipulated and exploited for personal gain.”

Going further, Comrade Shaibu added: “We will fight this injustice with every strength at our disposal for the sake of the people of Edo State and the future of democracy.”

Meanwhile a new deputy governor has been sworn in to take over from the impeached Philip Shaibu, he is Omobayo Marvellous Godwin.

In his acceptance speech, Omobayo defined the legal limits he cannot exceed while in office.

“Beyond this legal ceremony, it is imperative that l publicly express my profound gratitude to our respected Executive Governor, His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, and the leadership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party.

“After all the very painful and thought-provoking distractions of the past few months, our Governor is determined to finish his second term very strongly.

“From his dialogue with me, it is clear that he is very determined to bequeath a legacy of peace, unity, progress and visible development to Edo State. A legacy that the next PDP regime will find exciting to proudly build upon and maintain the leadership position Edo has achieved over time in the comity of states in Nigeria.”

The new deputy governor is a seasoned engineer with a proven track record of progressive professional experience in the oil and gas sector.

Born July 19, 1986, Omobayo hails from Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the State.

With a B.Eng Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Msc in Public Administration from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), he is well suited for the role as a professional and an expert in public administration.

He is a registered member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

A thorough-bred young professional, he served as a Senior Maintenance Engineer in Dresser Wayne West Africa Limited, cutting his professional teeth in the operations in the South South area, providing top-notch services and growing the business in the region.

He has also been active in politics in his local government, building bridges of trust with the people and mobilising them for common causes, breaking political barriers to the chagrin of his opponents.