A federal high court in Abuja has nullified the removal of Philip Shaibu as deputy governor of Edo state.
This was according to a ruling delivered by Justice James Omotosho on Wednesday, July 19, 2024.
The judge held that Shaibu’s impeachment violated the provisions of the law.
The court declared that Shaibu’s ouster on April 8, 2024, by the Edo state house of assembly was politically motivated.
Aside from restoring Shaibu, the court also ordered that his salaries and allowances should be paid to him from April when he was impeached as the deputy governor of the state.
It also directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to restore his security details.
The impeachment was undertaken after the house adopted the report of a seven-member investigative panel.
The panel was set up by Daniel Okungbowa, chief judge of Edo, and was headed by S. A. Omonuwa, a retired justice.
Shaibu was accused of “misconduct, perjury and disclosure of government secrets”.
Shaibu had fallen out with Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, before the impeachment.
Meanwhile, the Edo State House of Assembly has appealed the judgement of the High Court and has filed a motion for a stay of execution pending appeal.
