Obaseki Appoints New Deputy After Shaibu’s Impeachment

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has appointed Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as his deputy.

The appointment is coming hours after the Edo State House of Assembly impeached the former Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.

Omobayo Marvellous Godwins is from Akoko-Edo, in the Edo North Senatorial District of the State.

The governor will swear in Mr Omobayo at the Dennis Osadebey Government House later in the day.

Mr Philip Shaibu was impeached by the State Assembly after they adopted the report of a seven-man panel that investigated allegations of misconduct against him.

The Justice S. A. Omonuwa-led panel had its inaugural sitting last Wednesday in Benin, the state capital.

The panel ended its sitting on Friday with Shaibu or his counsel failing to show up to defend the allegations levelled against him.

The panel had adjourned till Thursday for Shaibu to open his defence, and when he didn’t show up, he was given till Friday to come and defend the allegation against him, which he failed to do.

The Edo State House of Assembly, which is the petitioner in the case, had on Wednesday opened and closed its case, paving the way for Shaibu to defend the allegations levelled against him.

Shaibu’s counsel, Oladoyin Awoyale, attended the inaugural sitting but excused himself in the middle of the hearing after the panel refused his prayer to suspend the proceedings pending the outcome of a suit filed in Abuja by Shaibu challenging the impeachment move against him.

It is however not clear if the new Deputy Governor nominee/appointee has been screened by the Edo State House of Assembly.