By Our Reporter
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Wednesday, reinstated the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Mr. Philip Shaibu back to office.
In a judgement delivered by Justice James Omotosho, the court, dismissed the reason the Edo State House of Assembly gave for impeaching Shuaibu as lame and therefore illegal.
It held that the said impeachment was in gross violation of the provisions of both sections 188 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The court also maintained that all his salaries, allowances, and benefits should be paid to him from April 8, when he was illegally impeached, until the expiration of his tenure, as well as restraining either Governor Obaseki or Edo House of Assembly from stopping him from performing the functions of his office.
It had, therefore, ordered the Inspector General of Police to immediately restore all his security details.
Shaibu who was impeached on April 8, 2024, by the Edo State House of Assembly, had fought vigorously to stop his impeachment as the deputy Governor of Edo State to no avail. He was, however, impeached from a position he had held for the past seven years, following a report by the Chief judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.
Shaibu was not deterred. Describing his impeachment as a ‘flagrant abuse of power and betrayal’, he vowed that it would not stand.
His impeachment was the first of its kind in the state.