EDO State deputy governor, Philip Shuaibu, has filed a suit at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on alleged plots by Governor Godwin Obaseki to remove him from office.
Although suit is yet to be assigned to a judge for a hearing, however, in court documents dated July 28, 2023, Deputy Governor Shuaibu is praying the court to restrain Governor Obaseki, the State Security Service, the Inspector General of Police, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and the State Chief Judge, who are defendants in the suit from harassing him.
Shuaibu is also praying the court to stop the defendants “from intimidating, embarrassing and preventing” him “from carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of Edo State, including attending the state executive council meeting.”
In a motion ex parte, Shuaibu further prayed the court for an interim injunction restraining the defendants from “initiating impeachment proceedings against” him.
In an affidavit of urgency, the deputy governor accused Obaseki of “preventing” him from carrying out the duties of his office as deputy governor, alleging that the governor was using the SSS and police to “harass, intimidate and embarrass” him.
He also averred that the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and Chief Judge of the State are acting in cahoots with Governor Obaseki to remove him from office as deputy governor.
“The 3rd defendant (Mr Obaseki) has hatched plans to impeach me, and the court needs to urgently intervene in restraining him and all the other defendants acting in concert with him,” Mr Shuaibu urged the court in the affidavit.
In an originating summons, Shuaibu urged the court to determine whether Obaseki’s alleged action of using the SSS and police to prevent him from performing the duties of his office does not violate the Nigerian constitution.
“Whether the 3rd defendant” (Mr Obaseki) has the “powers to instigate” the parliament and state Chief Judge…” to commence impeachment proceedings against the plaintiff (Mr Shuaibu) with a view to removing him from office as the deputy governor of Edo State.”
