The Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu has withdrawn the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking protection from possible impeachment and removal from office by his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
In a motion of notice brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 28, 2023, and made available to journalists, the appellant sought an order of interlocutory injunction stopping the respondents or their agents from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing or preventing the applicant from carrying out the functions of his office as Deputy Governor of the state.
This includes attending State Executive Council meetings and other functions pending the determination of the substantive suit.
In the suit, the Inspector General of Police, State Security Service (also known as Department of State Services), Governor of Edo State, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly and Chief Judge of Edo State were listed as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants respectively.
SaharaReporters had reported how leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state later scolded Shaibu for going to court over allegations that Governor Obaseki was planning to initiate his impeachment without exhausting dispute resolution mechanisms of the party.
The leaders, who met in August in the Igueben Local Government Area of the state, were drawn from Edo Central Senatorial District.
Chieftains of the PDP in attendance at the meeting include the Chairman, Edo State PDP, Hon. Tony Aziegbemi; former Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Tom Ikimi; former Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Clifford Odia; former House of Representatives member representing Esan South East/Esan North-East Federal Constituency, Sergius Ogun and former House of Representatives member representing Esan Central, Esan West and Igueben Federal Constituency, Hon. Joe Edionwele.
However, Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives, has made a U-turn by withdrawing the suit.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Shaibu said he directed his lawyers to withdraw the suit after a series of meetings with PDP leaders, clerics and others to resolve the rift between him and the governor.
He said, “Arising from the series of meetings held with me, and also with Mr. Governor, by well-meaning Edolites, and indeed Nigerians, including party (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) leaders, traditional rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, the Archbishop of Benin Archdiocese (of Catholic Church), on the issues that led to my going to court, on the above-named suit, and with all due respect to these eminent personalities and leaders, whose persuasions and persons I cannot ignore, I, Rt. Hon. (Comrade) Philip Shaibu, have authorised and instructed my solicitors to withdraw the suit forthwith.”