Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), yesterday, passed a resolution directing the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to set up a seven-man committee to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
EDHA passed the resolution at its plenary, as 19 out of the 24 members voted in favour of the resolution.
Earlier, the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, had told the House that the seven-day ultimatum given to the deputy governor to respond to the impeachment notice had expired.
Agbebaku said the impeachment notice was earlier served on the deputy governor on March 6, 2024, but due to the alleged evasion of service, the House ordered for substituted service.
He said the substituted service was published in the state-owned newspaper, the Observer newspaper, and Vanguard newspaper, respectively.
In a motion by the Majority Leader of the House, Charity Aiguobarueghan, and seconded by Nicholas Asonsere, representing Ikpoba Okha Constituency, asked the chief judge to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.
Aiguobarueghan said the motion was in line with Section 188, Sub-sections 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He noted that the failure of the deputy governor to respond to the petition within the stipulated times would not stop the proceedings as provided in Section 188, Sub-section 3, where it was clearly stated that whether he responded or not, the House had a duty to perform.
“That duty as bestowed by Section 188, Subsection 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am, therefore, moving a motion in pursuant to Section 188, Subsections 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is designed not to be argued.
“That the notice served on the deputy governor alleging gross misconduct to be sent for investigations and that the Speaker caused the chief judge of the state to set up a seven-man committee to look at the allegations and report its findings to this House as soon as possible”, he said.
In a voice vote, 19 members of the House voted in support of the motion, which was more than two-third of members of the House.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House directed the chief judge to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.
MEANWHILE, former Secretary-General of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), in Oredo Central Constituency, Mohammed Ighile, has backed the choice of Osarodion Ogie as the running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the 21 September election, Dr Asue Ighodalo.
Ighile, who spoke to journalists via telephone from his base in the U.S., noted that experience gathered as chief of staff to former state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and as commissioner, would be of benefit if Ogie emerged deputy governor of Edo State.
