Edo Impeachment: Panel Ends Sitting as Shaibu Remains Absent

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin

The panel set up by the Chief Judge (CJ) of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to investigate the allegation of perjury and leaking of government secrets levelled against the deputy governor of the state, Mr. Philip Shaibu, yesterday rounded off its sitting.
The sitting was part of the impeachment processes initiated against the deputy governor by the Edo State House of Assembly.

The seven-man panel headed by Justice Stephen A. Omonuwa (rtd), had on Thursday, ruled that it would adjourn for the last time yesterday to give ample opportunity for the respondent, Shaibu, to defend the allegations levelled against him before the panel.

The Thursday’s ruling by the panel was sequel to the absence of Shaibu and his counsel when the panel sat on Thursday.
Shaibu, who was represented by Professor Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN), at the Wednesday inaugural sitting of the panel, had told the seven-man panel that he would not continue with the panel’s proceedings on the ground that an Abuja High Court had asked that all the parties before it in a case of enforcement of fundamental human rights instituted by him to come on Monday, April 8, 2024, to show cause on why it should grant or not not grant the the reliefs sought.
When the panel overruled the objection, Awoyale, sought the permission of the panel to excuse himself.

The complainant, the Edo State House of Assembly, through its counsel, Ohiafi Joe,thereafter opened and closed its case, urging the panel to hold that the deputy governor violated his oath of office and committed gross misconduct.

The Chairman of the panel, Justice Omonuwa (rtd), adjourned to Thursday, April 4, 2025 to allow the respondent to come forward to present his defense.
When at the Thursday sitting, where the House of Assembly was represented by N. U. Ibrahim, a Principal Legal Officer with the Assembly and two others,  neither Shaibu nor his counsel was present.

The development forced Justice Omonuwa to rule that the panel would adjourn to Friday , April 5, 2024, at 12 noon, for the last time, to allow the deputy governor to appear and defend himself

At the Friday sitting, the Assembly was represented by N.U. Ibrahim Principal Legal Officer, Edo State House of Assembly and two others: Favour Atakpu and William Omogbai, just as Shaibu and his counsel were also absent.

Ruling on the development, the Chairman of the panel noted that “the panel adjourned sitting for the last time for today to allow the respondent to defend himself.”

“The panel shall retire to go and write its report as required by the constitution,” Justice Omonuwa ruled.

A member of the administrative staff of the panel, who pleaded anonymity, told journalists present in the courtroom that the panel would forward its report to the Edo State CJ, Justice Okungbowa, empaneled the Justice Omonuwa (rtd)’s investigative panel in the first instance.