Three days after the Edo State House of Assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu is yet to be served the notice.
Gatekeepers News reports that the House of Assembly, on Wednesday, commenced impeachment proceedings against Shaibu, accusing him of perjury and leaking state government’s secrets.
This is the latest development in the rift between Shaibu and his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The deputy governor and the governor have been at loggerheads since Shaibu declared his interest to join the Edo governorship race last year.
Shaibu’s political associate on Friday told Saturday PUNCH that all attempts to serve the Deputy Governor the impeachment notice had proved abortive as no one was willing to receive the letter on behalf of the embattled deputy governor in his office.
The associate said, “I can tell you that the deputy governor has yet to get the impeachment notice. They took the notice to his office on Thursday and Friday and no one is willing to accept the letter on his behalf.
“Shaibu is currently in Abuja and could not be reached by anyone. I don’t know if they have started counting the seven days they gave as ultimatum to reply to the notice, which has yet to be served.
“Issues of impeachment are very technical and I hope the Edo State House of Assembly do not get their hand burnt in their desperate attempt to carry out this needless impeachment.
“The deputy governor is a fighter from his student days, and I am sure he is ready for this battle. However, I hope a solution is found to avoid these needless moves.”
However, the Peoples Democratic Party, South-South Zone, has condemned the move to oust Shaibu.
In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Bishop Ante, it described the impeachment move as unreasonable and uncalled for particularly coming at a time the party was pursuing reconciliations in the face of obvious divisions among party members in the state ahead of the governorship elections scheduled for September 21.
The statement read, “The Peoples Democratic Party in the South-South Zone has condemned the move by members of the Edo State House of Assembly to impeach the Deputy Governor of the State, Philip Shaibu over alleged acts of misconduct.
“The impeachment move is unreasonable and uncalled for particularly that it is coming at a time the party was pursuing reconciliations in the face of obvious divisions among the members of the party in the state ahead of the Governorship elections scheduled for 21st September 2024.
“While impeachment of the deputy governor remains within the powers of the state House of Assembly, such powers can only be exercised in line with the laws of the land.”
“We call on Governor Godwin Obaseki to jettison the idea of having his deputy impeached, as such move particularly in the face of the obvious politically induced and unfounded allegations contained in the impeachment notice could have damning consequences on the chances of the party winning the forthcoming Governorship elections in the state.”
