All attempts to stop an impeachment process on the Edo state Deputy Governor failed on Saturday as the Edo state Chief Judge (CJ) constituted a seven-member panel to investigate the impeachment of Comrade Philip Shuaibu, the state deputy governor.

Chief Registrar of Edo High Court, Mr. B. O. Osawaru, on Saturday in a statement, with reference number: CR/4837/Vol. I/131, said that the panel would be headed by Justice S.A. Omonua (rtd.) The Registrar said constituting the panel was in line with Section 188 (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Other members of the panel according to the statement include Profs. Violet Aigbokhaebo, Boniface Onomion Edegbai, and Theresa Akpoghome as well as Dr. Andrew Oliha, and Messrs. Oghogho Ayodele Oviasu and Idris Abdulkareen.

Edo lawmakers, on March 19, through a resolution by 19 of the 24 members, directed the CJ to constitute the seven-member panel.

Comrade Phillip Shuaibu has had a long running battle with his the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki over his ambition to succeed him. The governor as the leader of the Party canvassed that the position of Governor be zoned to Edo Central. Phillip Shuaibu is from Edo North that recently produced former Governor Adams Oshiomole who ruled the state for eight years.

But the embattled deputy governor has been fighting to hold on to his seat. Apart from organising a parralel congress where he declared himself the winner, Comrade Shaibu has been to the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, where he had thought the court would halt the impeachment process through an ex-parte motion and urging the court to restrain the State House of Assembly, Chief Judge and Governor Godwin Obaseki from taking further action on the impeachment process, pending the determination of the substantive matter.

The motion, which was filed on March 18 by Edo Deputy Governor’s lead counsel, Prof. Oladoyin Awoyale, also joined Edo Government, Speaker and Clerk of the Assembly, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of the Police (IGP).

But the court, presided over by Justice James Omotoso, directed that all parties be put on notice, granted the requested substituted service and adjourned till April 15, 2024, for further hearing.

Twice, Ondo deputy governors’ impeachment failed

On 10 July,2020, the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, rejected the request by the State House of Assembly to set up a panel to investigate the State Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.

Mr. Ajayi was the deputy governor to Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu.

Justice Akeredolu informed the lawmakers of her decision in a letter dated July 9, 2020, and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Bamidele Oleyelogun.

This comes after 14 that members of the House of Assembly served an impeachment notice on the deputy governor whom they accused of gross misconduct.

However, nine of the lawmakers were opposed to the planned impeachment of Mr Ajayi by their colleagues in the legislative house.

Giving reasons for rejecting the Assembly’s request, Justice Akeredolu predicated her action on the fact that the process required by the 1999 Constitution for setting up such a probe panel had not been completed by the lawmakers.

Justice Akeredolu also attached a letter, indicating that the matter of impeachment of the deputy governor was sub judice.

Also on 12 October,2023,the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Olusegun Odusola, has rejected a directive by the state House of Assembly to set up a seven-person panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct made against Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The lawmakers had earlier in October 2023 directed the judge to set up the panel in a move for the impeachment of the deputy governor who had been accused of disloyalty to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

The lawmakers gave the directive after Mr Aiyedatiwa refused to respond to the 14-point allegations of the lawmakers within the stipulated seven days. The deputy governor had instead chosen to seek protection from the federal and state high courts.

However, in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Oladiji Olamide, with ref. no. CROD/1123/V.3/ and dated October 6, 2023, Justice Odusola cited an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja restraining him from setting up the panel.

The court had ordered the defendants in Mr Aiyedatiwa’s suit, including the House, Governor Akeredolu and the chief judge to stop further action in the process until the court determines the substantive matter in the suit.

In Kogi, Deputy Governor’s Impeachment Was Successful

However, on 18 October, 2019, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr Simon Achuba was impeached by members of the Kogi State House of Assembly in Lokoja, the state capital.

The Majority Leader of the House disclosed this to reporters at the premises of the Assembly complex.

Achuba’s impeachment followed the submission of a report of the committee set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against the former deputy governor.

The House, according to Hon.Abdullahi who represented Ajaokuta State Constituency, received, studied and deliberated on the report and a unanimous decision was arrived at to impeach Mr. Achuba.

He explained that a seven-man committee headed by Mr. John Bayeshea submitted the report to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Mathew Kolawole, before the lawmakers took the decision.

Governance in states where impeachment of the deputy governor or the governor is activated always suffer as developmental issues or programmes are left unattended to while all efforts are geared towards actualising the impeachment.