Shaibu, Edo Deputy Governor seeks court protection over ‘impeachment plot’

Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, has sought the protection of a Federal High Court in Abuja from an alleged impeachment plot against him.

The ex parte motion filed on July 28, is asking the court to restrain the defendants from preventing him from carrying out his role as Deputy Governor. The 1st to 5th respondents/defendants in the suit are the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Security Service (DSS), Godwin Obaseki, the Governor of Edo State; Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, and the Chief Judge of Edo State respectively.

Shaibu is asking the court to restrain the Governor, the Speaker of the State Assembly and the Chief Judge, from “initiating impeachment proceedings or sanctioning any impeachment” against him.

He also asked the court to declare whether Obaseki is within his powers to “instigate” the Inspector-General of Police and the DSS to prevent him from attending the State Executive Council meetings.

The suit’s reliefs sought read as follows:

“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the defendants/respondents, whether by themselves or their agents or persons acting for and on their behalf from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing and preventing the Plaintiff/Applicant.

“In carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of Edo state including attending state executive council meetings/functions and other duties about his office pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants, whether by themselves or their agents or persons acting for and on their behalf from initiating impeachment proceedings against the plaintiff/applicant or sanctioning any impeachment.”