Lawmakers Accuses Shaibu of Disclosing Government Secrets, Initiate Impeachment

Edited by Afolabi Hannah

The Edo House of Assembly has started impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, accusing him of perjury and leaking government secrets. This move is seen as the latest development in the ongoing rift between Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki, which escalated when Shaibu indicated his interest in running for Edo governorship this year.

Governor Obaseki is reportedly backing Asue Ighodalo, a former Sterling Bank Chairman, who emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the September 21, 2024 election. Ighodalo won the primary against Shaibu and nine other contenders on February 22 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin. Despite Shaibu boycotting the primary and holding a separate one where he was declared the winner, the PDP national leadership did not acknowledge his victory and issued Ighodalo a Certificate of Return as the official primary winner.

Efforts to obtain Deputy Governor Shaibu’s response were unsuccessful. When his media aide, Musa Ebhomiana, was contacted, he requested time to provide a response. However, subsequent attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

Meanwhile, the Conference of Registered Political Parties in Edo State has criticized the impeachment proceedings against Shaibu. In a statement released by the Chairman, Dr. Samson Isibor, and Secretary, John Isidhaome, the group urged Governor Obaseki to intervene and restrain the Assembly.

The statement emphasized that, in their view, the Deputy Governor had not committed any impeachable offense or violated his oath of office. The association asserted that only serious offenses such as corruption or misappropriation of public funds should warrant impeachment, and it should be initiated by the people of Edo State.