Controversy over Appeal Court purported ruling on Deputy Governor Shaibu’s impeachment

Controversy late yesterday trailed the purported ruling of the Court of Appeal in Abuja upholding the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja quashing the impeachment of Comrade Philip Shaibu as the deputy governor of Edo State.

It was reported that the Court of Appeal affirmed Justice James Omotosho’s verdict that voided Shaibu’s impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly for lack of a fair hearing and while affirming Justice Omotosho’s order for Shaibu’s return to office, also set aside the appointment of Omobayo Godwins as the new Deputy Governor, replacing Shaibu.

But the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Charity Aiguobarueghian when contacted described the report as false and misleading but Shaibu and the All Progressives Congress have lauded the purported ruling, reports Vanguard.

Shaibu expressed gratitude to God, the people of Edo State and Nigerians and said the judgment is victory for democracy and the judiciary.

The APC expressed joy over the judgment, noting that the victory is a testament of the insensitivity of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s absolute disregard to due process and the constitution.

A press statement by the state publicity secretary of the party, Peter Uwadiae-igbinigie said, “This victory is a testament of the insensitivity of Governor Godwin Obaseki to due process and absolute regard to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which he swore to uphold.

“The APC Edo State chapter is proud that today, the Deputy Governor of the state has found it worthy to trace his political fame back to the party which has helped to galvanized and repositioned him as an icon of modern democracy which he has doggedly and gallantly fought for in Nigeria.

“While you journey through the remaining part of your tenure as an APC Deputy Governor, the party offers its sincere accolade of support and encouragement to doing that which you are well known for, that is upholding the genuine tenet of democracy which is sacrosanct in civilized climes.

But Aiguobarueghian told our correspondent that “There was a suit instituted by Shaibu during the impeachment process to stop it, the case was before Justice Egwuatu, while the matter was ongoing, he was impeached and the new deputy governor applied to strike out the case that as deputy governor he is not interested in pursuing a case.

“Philip Shaibu went and filed a motion asking that his name as Philip Shiabu should be used instead deputy governor of Edo State, he also asked that the case should be converted from originating summons to writ of summons, the court granted both applications so it was that motion that the court granted that we went to the Court of Appeal for, it was an interlocutory appeal, we went to the Court of Appeal to challenge that order changing the name to Philip Shaibu, while all these were going on, he filed another suit in his own name and that suit was taken to the court of Justice Omotosho and Justice Omotosho on the 17th of July now declared him winner in the later suit that was filed in his name and Edo State House of Assembly filed an appeal against that judgment, the Attorney General of Edo State also filed another appeal against that judgment.

“All three appeals came up today (Tuesday) and we now withdrew the interlocutory appeal against Justice Egwuatu’s ruling, it is that ruling that he is now saying he won, meanwhile that ruling did not declare him the deputy governor.

“Against that substantive suit that Justice Omotosho declared him winner, the appeal processes were served on him in court today and he has five days to reply and we were given another five days to reply to his response. That is when the suit will now be taken and a decision will not be taken. The decision has not been taken on the impeachment case”.