Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Enahoro Iyemefokhai
Published on 2024-03-12 21:23:09
The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, are embroiled in a controversy regarding the service of an impeachment notice on the deputy governor. The Speaker alleged during a plenary session that the deputy governor had refused to acknowledge the impeachment notice, prompting him to order that the notice be published in the State-Owned Nigeria Observer and other national dailies.
In response, Deputy Governor Shaibu denied ever being served with an impeachment notice from the State House of Assembly. In a letter addressed to the Speaker, Shaibu’s Personal Assistant, Charles Olubayo, clarified that no impeachment notice was ever served on the deputy governor, let alone him refusing to acknowledge it. Olubayo explained that Shaibu had been out of Benin since March 3, 2024, and had not been in contact with the Clerk of the State House of Assembly since the impeachment process began.
The letter emphasized the inaccuracy of the Speaker’s statement regarding the service of the impeachment notice and urged him to correct the public impression that Shaibu had evaded being served. It expressed surprise at the decision to publish the notice in newspapers based on the false premise that Shaibu had ignored a previous notice from the Clerk of the House. The Deputy Governor’s office maintained that no such notice was ever received or ignored by Shaibu.
The Deputy Governor’s Personal Assistant called for a correction of the misinformation that arose from the Speaker’s statement at the plenary session. The letter sought to set the record straight and avoid any misrepresentation of the facts in this crucial matter. It questioned the validity of the claim that Shaibu had refused to acknowledge an impeachment notice, as no such notice had been served on him according to the Deputy Governor’s office.
In conclusion, the dispute between Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu and Speaker Blessing Agbebaku over the service of the impeachment notice highlights the tense political situation in Edo State. The conflicting accounts of whether the notice was served or not underscore the need for transparency and accuracy in all official proceedings. Both parties are urged to clarify the matter and ensure that due process is followed in any impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor.
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