Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has reiterated that his deputy, Philip Shaibu, remains impeached, despite a recent court ruling.
On Friday, Obaseki responded to a statement attributed to Shaibu, where he warned Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) against the possible looting of government properties by political appointees.
Obaseki, through his media adviser Crusoe Osagie, urged Edo State workers to dismiss Shaibu’s directives, emphasizing that Shaibu has no authority to issue instructions as he remains impeached.
The governor reaffirmed that Shaibu’s removal from office is still in effect, pending the court’s final decision, and that the deputy governor holds no power to interfere with the functioning of state employees.
This comes after the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a July ruling, ordered Shaibu’s reinstatement, stating that due process was not followed during his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly.
The state government and the House of Assembly’s attempt to challenge the court’s decision was dismissed, with costs awarded against them.
Obaseki’s administration, however, continues to uphold Shaibu’s impeachment while awaiting the court’s definitive ruling on the matter.
