Impeachment Scare: Deputy Governor’s Fate Hangs In The Balance

A deputy governor’s fate hangs in the balance, after the House of Assembly has served him an impeachment scare.

He now, has seven days to respond to the house of face the music.

This is the case of the deputy governor of Edo State, Mr Philip Shaibu, following the announcement of an impeachment notice on him, by the Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian (PDP, Ovia North-East 1).

Aiguobarueghian predicated the notice on a petition dated March 5 against Shaibu which was signed by 21 of the 24 members of the legislature.

He added that the petition was based on perjury and revelation of government’s secrets.

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Aiguobarueghian noted that the number of members who signed the petition was higher than the two-thirds constitutional requirement.

Upon acknowledging receipt of the petition, Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku (PDP, Owan-West),directed the Clerk of the house, Mr Yahaya Omogbai, to serve the impeachment notice on the deputy governor.

Agbebaku also gave the deputy governor seven days to respond to the notice of impeachment.

Shaibu political desires obviously hang in the balance due to the impeachment scare, which has its roots in the misunderstanding between the deputy governor and  Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Ironically, Shaibu had before now taken his travails to the Abuja High Court urging the court to stop his impeachment.

There are no indications that such moves are capable of saving him, so long he keeps on with his interest to contest the next governorship selection in the state.

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The move itself is against the wish of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who prefers another, Asue Ighodalo, a former banker to succeed him as governor.

Political observers are watching the impeachment scare with keen interest, which also has great implications for democracy on the one hand, and the preservation of the welfare of the people.

This is especially because it is not certain that the gladiators are driven by intense desire to preserve the interest of the masses.

Beyond the impeachment scare, Shaibu’s case has been made more challenging by the emergence of Mr  Ighodalo, a former banker as PDP governorship ticket holder following another primary election in the state.