Toba Owojaiye reporting
Benin City, Edo state
In a ground shaking development within Edo State politics, the House of Assembly has taken a decisive step by instructing the Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to establish a seven-member panel.
The panel’s mandate? To thoroughly investigate the allegations leveled against the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu. Speaker RT Hon Blessing Agbebaku made this announcement during a succinct session held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
Truth Live News gathered that the directive revealed the gravity of the situation, signaling a concerted effort to ensure transparency and accountability within the state’s governance framework. The panel is tasked with conducting a meticulous examination of the allegations and subsequently providing essential recommendations.
Central to the unfolding drama is the challenge faced by the Assembly in serving Deputy Governor Shaibu with the necessary documentation. In response, the House resorted to a substitute method, issuing an advertorial in a prominent newspaper due to Shaibu’s absence from the state since March 3. This move raised questions regarding the effectiveness of traditional communication channels in reaching key stakeholders within the political landscape.
However, Shaibu swiftly responded through his Personal Assistant, Charles Olubayo, refuting the claims of receiving any formal notice of impeachment. He adamantly denied both the receipt and refusal of such documentation, citing his absence from the state as grounds for impossibility.
The emerging narrative surrounding Shaibu’s impeachment is allegedly intertwined with broader political dynamics, particularly his perceived ambitions to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki. Speculation suggest that Shaibu’s decision to run a parallel gubernatorial primaries in his parlor as a sitting deputy governor may have broken the camels back.
As Edo State braces for the forthcoming September off cycle Gubernatorial elections, the outcome of the House’s directive sets the stage for a pivotal chapter in the region’s political landscape.