BENIN CITY – THE impeachment investigation panel probing alleged gross misconducts against the Edo State deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu has fixed Friday for its final adjournment for Shaibu to defend himself.
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The head of seven-man panel set up to investigate the allegations, Justice Stephen A Omonuwa (Rtd) took the decision when it resumed its sitting on Thursday and the deputy governor and his counsel were absent.
Omonuwa (Rtd), said that the panel would wait to see if the defendant would open his defense and thereafter called for the defendant but Shaibu, was absent and was not represented.
Justice Omonuwa called for appearance for the plaintiff, the Edo State House of Assembly, which initiated the impeachment process.
Legal Officer of the Edo State House of Assembly, N. U. Ibrahim announced his appearance for the Assembly with two others.
The chairman then ruled that the panel would still adjourn to give the defendant the ample opportunity to appear before it to present his defense saying “The panel is adjourned for the last time to April 5, 2024, at 12 noon, to allow the defendant to present his defense”, Justice Omonuwa ruled.
It would be recalled that at the inaugural sitting of the panel on Wednesday, Shaibu’s counsel, Professor Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN) told the panel that he was excusing himself and the defendant from continuing with the panel’s proceedings for allegedly disobeying an Abuja High Court injunction stopping the proceeding.
He said that all parties in the matter ought to obey the order which asked the parties to appear before it to show cause why it should or should not grant the enforcement of fundamental human rights prayer Shaibu tabled before the court.
