Members of the Edo State House of Assembly have begun the impeachment process against the state’s Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
According to Platinum Times, the petition to impeach the deputy governor was read during a plenary session of the assembly on Wednesday.
The Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian, who read the impeachment petition during plenary, said the petition was signed by 21 out of 24 members against the deputy governor.
Aiguobarueghian, who said the petition was dated March 5, 2024, stated that the number of members who signed the petition were greater than the two-third minimum stipulated in Section 188 (2a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
He stated that the petition was addressed to the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku.
The Speaker acknowledged receipt of the petition and stated that it was based on two grounds that were not made public.
The House, however, gave the deputy governor seven days to respond to the appeal.
The Speaker directed the clerk of the house, Yahaya Omogbai, to serve the impeachment notice on Shaibu.
Shaibu’s impeachment notice might not be unconnected to his face-off with the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki that had led to him losing out during the just ended Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial election primaries in the state.
Recall that Shaibu had accused a scheme to impeach him from office, stating his gubernatorial ambition was responsible for the plot.
He was elected as PDP candidate at a parallel primary poll conducted in his apartment in Benin City, the state capital.
Asue Ighodalo was also named winner of another PDP primary exercise which took held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.