‘I Remain Deputy Gov Till Nov, I Will Resume Office, Face My Work’ – Philip Shaibu Dares Obaseki

The reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, declared on Friday that he will remain in office until November 11, the date of the upcoming governorship election. Shaibu’s statement came after an Abuja Federal High Court reaffirmed his position. In an appearance on Arise TV’s morning show, Shaibu announced his return to the office and criticized Governor Godwin Obaseki for failing to pay him for the past year. Shaibu stated, “I’m elected deputy governor of this state and the court has reaffirmed it. I will be deputy governor till November eleven, even when the governor has not paid. He has not paid for the last one year. “I’m a law abiding citizen and I will go to the office this morning, if they want to stop me, they should. “I will not do anything that would lead to the loss of life. I have been maintaining peace, the office of the deputy governor must be given it’s rightful respect. “I will resume in the office and face my work, if he allows me to see him, I will and if not; I will face my work.” In addition, Shaibu revealed that he considers himself an unofficial member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having distanced himself from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He explained that his support for the APC’s governorship candidate is consistent with his personal choice, noting that party affiliations do not restrict one’s right to support any candidate. Giving reasons for supporting the APC governorship candidate in Edo state, he said, “In PDP now, everybody can support whoever they like. On the issue of supporting a candidate, the constitution guarantees that you can support who you like and you can belong to any political party.”

Appeal Court Dismisses Uba, PDP’s Suit Against Gov Alia, Deputy

The Court of Appeal, Abuja division on Monday, dismissed an appeal instituted by the Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Titus Uba, challenging the election of Hyacinth Alia as the elected Governor of Benue State. In a judgement delivered by the lead Justice, Onyekachi Aja Otisi dismissed the allegations of non qualifications made by Uba against the Deputy Governor, Samuel Ode. In a unanimous judgment, the Appallate Court held that the PDP gubernatorial candidate failed to establish forgery of INEC form EC9 by Ode beyond reasonable doubt as required by law. Among others, the Court of Appeal said that the issues of non qualifications are pre-election matters which can only be challenged at a Federal High Court and not at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal as done by Uba. Also, Justice Otisi said that a suit to challenge non qualifications can only be instituted within 14 days of occurrence of the subject matter. The Court also dealt with the allegations by Uba that the name of the Governor, Hyacinth Alia was not not submitted by the All Progressives Congress APC to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC within 180 days before the election of March 18. The Court held that the allegations can survive because the primary election that produce Alia was ordered by a High Court and was done within the period ordered by the court. In the final analysis, Justice Otisi held that the appeal of Uba against the judgment of Benue State Election Petition Tribunal delivered on September 23 lacked merit and was dismissed. The Court subsequently upheld the judgment of the Tribunal and rejected the plea of Uba to void it and set it aside.

Court halts Obaseki’s move to impeach Deputy Gov, Shuaib

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki’s Deputy, Comrade Phillip Shuaib to maintain status quo in a suit seeking to sack the latter. The order is following a motion on notice filed by Shuaib praying the court to stop the move to ease him out of office by his principal over their irreconcilable differences. In the ruling on the motion argued by Moses Ebute SAN from the Chambers of Chief Ogwu James Onoja SAN in Abuja, Justice Mohammed directed the parties in the suit to maintain “Status Quo Ante Bellum”. The order for the status quo ante bellum  released on Friday, is to be in force till the time the defendants shall show cause as directed in another ruling of of the Court made on July 27th, 2023. By the order of ‘status quo ante bellum’, parties are to remain in the positions  they were before Shuaib’s suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/1027/2023  was instituted against the defendants. The defendants are the Inspector General of Police (IGP), State Security Service (SSS), Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge, Edo State as 1st to 5th respondents, respectfully. At the Friday’s proceedings, the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly was represented by his counsel, Okotie Eboh while the Chief Judge was represented by  Francis Ogbe both who opposed granting of Shuaib’s request but lost in the Court’s ruling. Justice Mohammed after the ruling shifted hearing in the matter till August 10 and ordered that the IGP, SSS and Obaseki who were not represented in court be served with hearing notices. Shaibu, in his originating simmons prayed the Court to determine whether in view of the provisions of sections 186 and 193 of the 1999 Constitution, Governor Obaseki has power to instigate the IGP and SSS to harass, intimidate, molest and prevent him from accessing his office to carry out his Constitutionally guaranteed duties. He also asked the court to ascertain whether the Governor has power to instigate the Speaker and the Chief Judge to commence impeachment proceedings against him with a view to remove him from office on any other ground other than allegations of misconduct as contained in section 188 of the 1999 Constitution. The Deputy Governor further prayed the Court to decide whether in view of the provisions of section 193 of the 1999 Constitution, Obaseki can deliberately refuse to carry him along or informing him of the State Executive Council (SEC) Meeting or any other meetings or functions within and outside Edo without violating the express provision of the law. Upon positive resolutions of the issues in his favour, Shuaib asked the court to declare that the IGP, SSS and Obaseki lacked power to intimidate, harass, embarrass or molest him. He also sought Court’s declaration that Obaseki, Speaker and the Chief Judge lacked power to impeach him on any ground other than gross misconduct and that the Speaker and the Chief Judge at the same time,  lacked requisite power to set up a 7-Man panel of Inquiry on the same ground. Among others, Shuaib requested for order of injunction restraining IGP, SSS and Obaseki and their agents and privies from harassing, embarrassing,, intimidating and preventing them from stopping him to carry out his legitimate functions. He further prayed for an order of injunction restraining Obaseki, Speaker and Chief Judge from taking any action, plan or step on the impeachment plan and another order specifically stopping the Chief Judge from taking instructions from Obaseki and the Speaker to set up any panel of Inquiry for the purpose of impeaching him.