The Federal high court in Abuja has issued an order setting aside the process of impeachment on the state deputy governor Philip Shaibu. This comes hours after the state house of Assembly committed the Impeachment proceed to the chief judge of Edo State.

Delivering the ruling today justice James Omotosho said the impeachment move on the deputy governor is in violation of the relevant section of the 99 constitution.

The court also ruled that the plaintiff should not be restricted,or stopped from performing his duties as enshrined in the constitution by the defendants, their agents or privies.

The restraining order is against the Edo State government, Governor Obaseki,speaker of the state Assembly, and the state chief judge.
Others are the inspector general of police and the director general of the state security service.

Meanwhile, Edo House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution asking the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the state Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu.

The the resolution was passed during the plenary in Benin.

During the plenary, the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, notified the House that the seven-day ultimatum granted to the deputy governor to respond to the impeachment notice served on him had expired.

Mr Agbebaku reminded the house that an impeachment notice was served on the deputy governor on March 6. Still, because of his alleged evasion of service, the house ordered a substituted service.

He said the substituted service was published in the Nigerian Observer and the Vanguard newspapers on March 12, adding that by counting, March 19 made it seven days.

In his motion, the Majority Leader of the House, Charity Aiguobarueghan, moved that the chief judge be directed to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.

Nicholas Asonsere (PDP- Ikpoba Okha) seconded the motion.

Mr Aiguobarueghan disclosed that the motion was in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That the notice served on the deputy governor alleging gross misconduct be sent for investigations.

“And that the speaker directs the chief judge of the state to set up a seven-man committee to look at the allegations and report its findings to this house as soon as possible,” he said.

During a vote, 19 out of the 24-member house supported the motion.

The Speaker asked the chief judge to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.