Edo: Philip Shaibu loses bid to stop impeachment move against him

The ex-parte plea filed by Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State, asking for a temporary injunction to halt the state assembly's impeachment proceedings was denied by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to DAILY POST, This contradicted other news sources' assertions that the injunction had been issued by the court.

The first through eighth defendants in the motion designated FHC/ABJ/CS/321/2024 were the Edo State Government, the Edo State Governor, the Edo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, the Clerk of the Assembly, the Chief Judge of Edo State, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director General of the Department of State Services.

In the lawsuit, Shaibu requested a court order prohibiting the third through fifth defendants from initiating any procedure, including issuing a notice of accusation, convening court, or forming a panel of investigation, to prevent him from being removed until after a motion on notice has been heard.

In addition, he requested an interim injunction barring the defendants—either directly or through their agents—from tampering with the content of the original summons filed in the lawsuit by pursuing any course of action detrimental to any attempt or proceeding aimed at his dismissal from the position of deputy governor of Edo State until the motion on notice is heard.

Other reliefs sought are: “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st to 8th defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, servants, officials, representatives, and or any other person or authority acting through them, from preventing the plaintiff either by threat of removal from office or adverse actions capable of hindering the plaintiff from performing his official duties and discharging his responsibilities as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, including attending State Executive Council meetings, functions and other duties.

“An order of interim injunction directing the defendants herein jointly, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, servants, officials, representatives, or any other person or authority acting through them, to maintain status quo ante bellum prevailing before the issuance of the purported notice or petition to commence removal of the Plaintiff from office pending the hearing and the final determination of the motion on notice. ”

But the trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, rejected the deputy governor's petitions in the March 13 verdict, which the DAILY POST reporter saw on Tuesday.

It reads: “That the motion ex-parte for interim injunction dated and filed 8th day of March 2024 is hereby refused.”

In the meanwhile, during Tuesday's proceedings, the court scheduled a hearing for Wednesday about another request ex partee filed by the plaintiff, who was unable to serve the defendants and was seeking substituted service.