The deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu has been impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly. The impeachment comes months after the relationship between the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Philip Shaibu soured over who will succeed the governor in the 2024 gubernatorial elections.
Why Was Shaibu Impeached?
The impeachment proceedings were initiated subsequent to the adoption of a report compiled by a seven-member investigative panel. This panel was established by Daniel Okungbowa, the chief judge of Edo State, and chaired by S. A. Omonuwa, a retired justice.
Part of the allegations leveled against Philip Shaibu are “misconduct, perjury, and disclosure of government secrets.” The commencement of the panel’s hearings followed a resolution passed by the State House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against him.
During the panel’s inaugural session on April 3, 2024, the State House of Assembly was represented by Joe Ohiafi, the Deputy Clerk (Legal). While Shaibu was represented by Oladoyin Awoyale, a distinguished professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Fallout With Obaseki
The impeachment proceedings against Shaibu were triggered in 2023 following a rift with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, regarding the succession plan for the gubernatorial seat in 2024. Shaibu harbored ambitions of succeeding Obaseki and had commenced consultations with stakeholders within and outside the state. However, Obaseki did not share his enthusiasm. Governor Obaseki contends that the gubernatorial candidate should be zoned away from the Edo North Senatorial District, citing that both Shaibu and his estranged predecessor of Obaseki, now Senator Adams Oshiomhole, are from the zone, Instead, proposed favoring the Edo Central Senatorial District for the candidacy.
In July, Philip Shaibu sought legal recourse by filing a suit at a Federal High Court in Abuja to halt the impeachment proceedings against him. He petitioned the court to restrain Governor Obaseki, the Speaker of the State Assembly, and the Chief Judge from initiating or sanctioning any impeachment actions against him. Consequently, the court issued an injunction restraining these parties from commencing impeachment procedures.
In September, Shaibu opted to withdraw his lawsuit against Governor Obaseki, clearing the path for the impeachment proceedings that ultimately led to his removal from office.
A New Deputy Governor
Filling up the power vacuum, Governor Obaseki has since appointed 37-year-old Omobayo Godwin as his new deputy following the impeachment of Philip Shaibu. Born on July 19, 1986, Omobayo hails from Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Omobayo is a registered member of both the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
Prior to his appointment as deputy governor, Omobayo served as a Senior Maintenance Engineer at Dresser Wayne West Africa Limited, where he gained valuable experience in managing operations across the South-South region. His dedication to providing high-quality services contributed to the growth of the business in the area.
In addition to his professional life, Omobayo has been actively involved in politics within his local government, he brings a wealth of expertise in both technical and administrative fields to his new role.