Obaseki, Deputy’s Fight Worsens, Shuaibu Gets Court Reprieve on Impeachment

*Deputy accuses governor of using police, DSS to prevent him from carrying out legitimate functions

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The battle between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Phillip Shuaibu, over who succeeds him as governor in 2024 has assumed a disturbing dimension, with Shuaibu heading to court to obtain an injunction against an alleged impeachment plot against him.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in the interim injunction issued on Thursday, ordered Obaseki and others, to halt their alleged bid to impeach Shuaibu over alleged infractions.

The order was sequel to an application filed by Shuaibu praying the court to stop the alleged move by Obaseki to remove him as deputy governor.
Specifically, the court directed the parties in the suit to maintain “Status Quo Ante Bellum”.

While Shuaibu is the plaintiff/applicant in the suit dated July 25, and filed by Chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, the Inspector General of Police (IG), State Security Service (SSS), Obaseki, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge, Edo State are 1st to 5th defendants, respectfully.

The order for the status quo ante bellum, a Certified True Copy (CTC) dated August 4, sighted by our correspondent, is to be in force till the time the defendants shall show cause, as directed by the court in its earlier ruling issued on July 27, 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.

At Thursday’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, who both had opposed the granting of Shuaib’s request.
Meanwhile, the court has adjourned hearing till August 10, just as it ordered the plaintiff to serve hearing notices on the IG, SSS and Obaseki, who were not represented in court.

Shuaibu, in his originating summons, 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 IG 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 State without violating the express provision of the law.
Upon positive resolution of the issues in his favour, Shuaiub asked the court to declare that the IG, SSS and Obaseki lacked power to intimidate, harass, embarrass or molest him.

He also sought the court’s declaration that Obaseki, the 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 seven-man panel of Inquiry on the same ground.
Among others, Shuaibu requested for order of injunction restraining the IG, 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.

Shuaibu has been at war with Obaseki for several months now over his successor in 2024.
The deputy governor is angry that Obaseki is working to truncate his ambition, but a source said Obaseki wants power to rotate to Edo South.
The source said: “Shuaibu comes from Edo North where Adams Oshiomhole is from and served two terms as governor. In fact, Shuaibu is from the same local government as Oshiomhole. Obaseki is from Edo Central and would complete two terms next year. So, power should rotate to Edo South. Any attempt by the governor to show that he is supporting his deputy will affect governance in the state. The deputy governor knows the truth and he is merely playing to the gallery.”