Voice Air Media, VAM News Update

Members of the Edo State House of Assembly have commenced impeachment process against the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.

VAM News reports that the petition for the impeachment of the deputy governor was read on Wednesday at a plenary session of the house.

The Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian, who read the impeachment petition during plenary, said the petition was signed by 21 out of 24 members against the deputy governor.

Aiguobarueghian, who said the petition was dated March 5, 2024, noted that the number of members who signed the petition were more than the two-third requirement stipulated in Section 188 (2a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said the petition was addressed to the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku.

The Speaker, who acknowledged the receipt of the petition, said the petition was based on two grounds which were not made public.

The House, however, gave the deputy governor seven days to respond to the petition.

The Speaker directed the clerk of the house, Yahaya Omogbai, to serve the impeachment notice on Shaibu.

Shaibu’s impeachment notice might not be unconnected to his face-off with the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki that had led to him losing out during the just concluded Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial election primaries in the state.

Recall that Shaibu had alleged a plot to impeach him from office, claiming his governorship ambition was responsible for the plot.

He was elected as PDP candidate during a parallel primary election conducted in his residence in Benin City, the state capital.

Asue Ighodalo was also announced winner of another PDP primary exercise which took place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.