The Edo State House of Assembly, on Monday, impeached the embattled state deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
The impeachment followed the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the Assembly to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.
Last Friday, the seven-man panel investigating allegations of constitutional breaches against Shaibu concluded its sitting without him or his counsel appearing.
The panel, headed by Justine Stephen Omonuwa (rtd.), forwarded its report to the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.
A day earlier, the panel said it would adjourn for the last time on Friday to give the respondent, Shaibu, time to defend the allegations levelled against him.
Thursday’s ruling by the panel was sequel to the absence of Shaibu and his counsel when the panel sat on that day.
At the panel’s inaugural sitting, Shaibu was represented by Prof. Oladoyin Awoyale. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria informed the panel that he would not be continuing with the proceedings on the ground that an Abuja High Court had asked all parties before it in a case of enforcement of fundamental human rights instituted by him to come on Monday, 8th April 2024, to show cause on why or not it should grant the reliefs sought.
When the panel overruled the objection, Awoyale sought the permission of the panel to excuse himself.
Ruling on the development, the chairman of the panel said that “the panel adjourned sitting for the last time for today to allow the respondent to defend himself.
“The panel shall retire to go and write its report as required by the constitution”, Justice Omonuwa ruled.
