• Declares his impeachment as illegal, unconstitutional
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sim in Abuja has reinstated the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Mr. Philip Shaibu back to office.
In his judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Omotosho declared that Shaibu’s purported impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly was illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void.
The judge further held that the said impeachment was in gross violation of the provisions of both sections 188 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Restoring Shaibu to office as the Deputy Governor, the court held that all his salaries, allowances, and benefits should be paid to him from April 8, when he was illegally impeached, until the expiration of his tenure.
The judge also issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Edo State House of Assembly from stopping Shaibu from performing the functions of his office.
Justice Omotosho further ordered the Inspector General of Police to immediately restore all his security details.
According to the judge, the reason the Edo Assembly gave for impeaching the plaintiff was lame and smacked of an ochestrated political vendetta.
