*It’s Impersonation, Edo State Govt Insists

*Obaseki Accepts Ogie’s Resignation, Appoints Eboigbe New SSG

THE court-reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Mr. Philip Shaibu, said he has resumed duties and directed his staff to follow suit, even as he warned banks carrying out transactions with the Office of the Deputy Governor of Edo State without his express consent about the illegality of such transactions.

In a video broadcast, Shaibu mandated staff assigned to his office who were yet to resume work since his reinstatement to do so or face the consequences, recalling that the Federal High Court judgment reinstating him indicated that his office had never been vacant.

Shaibu stated that upon his return to office, he had requested Governor Godwin Obaseki’s approval for the reinstatement of his aides, but was yet to receive a response to his formal request.

In its reaction, the Edo State Government accused Shaibu of impersonating the office of the Deputy Governor, describing his alleged correspondence to institutions and organisations in that capacity as forgery.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said in a press statement in Benin City on behalf of the state government on Monday, August 12: “It has come to the attention of the Edo State Government that the former deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, has been carrying out correspondence with different institutions and organisations both within and outside the state in a clear case of impersonation.

“In the interest of the safety of these organisations, we want to restate that Shaibu is not the deputy governor of Edo State and every correspondence from him in that regard should be disregarded and considered a forgery.

“The issue of his purported reinstatement is still active in court, and the next hearing for the two separate motions filed by the state government and the Edo House of Assembly, challenging the purported reinstatement by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, is fixed for September 24, 2024.

“The state, through the attorney general of Edo State and the Edo House of Assembly, by their lawyers, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN) and Ken Mozia (SAN), respectively, had in the motions sought an order for a stay of the execution of the purported reinstatement and an order suspending the judgment and restraining Shaibu from parading himself or attending any official function as deputy governor, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

“Therefore, the status quo is that His Excellency, Omobayo Marvellous Godwins, remains the Deputy Governor of Edo State.

“Any correspondence carried out by any other person, including Philip Shaibu, is an act of impersonation, and anyone who deals with him does so at his or her own risk.

“Security agencies are, by this notice, alerted to the potential breach of peace and are urged to hold Philip Shaibu responsible for any security breach in the state arising from his ignoble actions.” 

Recall that the House of Assembly impeached Shaibu on Monday, April 8, 2024, following the adoption of the report of a seven-man panel of investigation set up by the Chief Judge of the state to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.

The panel, headed by Justice S. A. Omonuwa (rtd), looked into the allegations of perjury and leakage of government secrets against Shaibu and ended its session, with Shaibu refusing to appear before it.

Shaibu was subsequently impeached by 18 of the 19 members of the Assembly present at plenary, while one abstained from the headcount and voting process.

Governor Godwin Obaseki, had immediately named Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as Shaibu’s replacement and forwarded his nomination to the Assembly, which gave him express confirmation; hence he was sworn in as deputy governor until November 11, 2024.

But dissatisfied, Shaibu challenged his removal by the  Assembly and others at the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice J.K. Omotosho.

Justice Omotoso, in his judgment, held that Shaibu’s removal from office as deputy governor of Edo State and the subsequent appointment of  Godwins as his replacement was illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void.

The court ruled that the process was in breach of the provisions of the procedure laid out in Section 188(1) to (9) in the way and manner the impeachment process was conducted, saying the ouster clause in Section 188(10) limiting the jurisdiction is not a stand-alone provision.

The court referred to the decision of the Supreme Court in Inakoju v. Adeleke (2007) and, therefore, ordered the 1st Defendant- the Inspector General of Police (IGP)- to immediately restore Shaibu’s security as Deputy Governor of Edo State.

     Meanwhile, Obaseki has appointed Mr. Joseph Eboigbe as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG), having accepted the resignation of the former office holder, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, on Sunday, August 11, to pursue his political aspiration as the running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the forthcoming election.

Eboigbe’s appointment, which was announced in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Mr.Crusoe Osagie, took immediate effect.

The new SSG previously served as Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget and Economic Planning and later as Commissioner for Finance.