From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The reinstatement of Comrade Philip Shaibu as deputy governor of Edo State by an Abuja Federal High Court has foisted on the ancient city a situation of one state with two deputy governors.
This is so as the Edo State government has insisted that Mr Godwins Marvellous Omobayo, who was appointed deputy governor to replace Shaibu in the wake of his impeachment, remains the deputy governor and would continue to act in that capacity despite Shaibu’s reinstatement.
It would be recalled that following Shaibu’s impeachment on April 8, this year, by the Edo State House of Assembly, he (Shaibu) challenged his impeachment at the Federal High Court, where the trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, upturned his impeachment.
The court held that the impeachment was in gross violation of the provisions of both Sections 188 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
It then ordered that all Shaibu’s salaries, allowances, and benefits be paid to him from April 8, when he was illegally impeached until the expiration of his tenure.
Besides, the court issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Edo State House of Assembly from stopping Shaibu from performing the functions of his office, just as it equally ordered the Inspector General of Police to immediately restore all Shaibu’s security details.
The court dismissed the state House of Assembly’s reason for impeaching Shaibu, describing it as “lame and smacks of orchestrated political vendetta” and held that “the removal of Shaibu from office as deputy governor of Edo State and the subsequent appointment of Godwins as his replacement by the state governor is illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void”.
Thus the judgment has generated debate and divided opinion across Edo State and beyond. Many people are of the opinion that despite the appeal and stay of execution application filed by the state government against the judgment, its execution ought to be carried out immediately, because in the eye of the law, Shaibu is the deputy governor of the state until a superior court of records rules otherwise.
Others, however, argue that the final determination of the matter lies with the pronouncement of the Supreme Court of the country.
Senate Chief Whip in the Second Republic, Senator Roland Owie, while describing the development in the state as unfortunate, said: “The law is clear, until the judgment of Shaibu is reversed, he remains the deputy governor. Whatever Omobayo does is a nullity.
“Nobody should take law into his hands, Nigeria is governed by laws. Let the case run its full course.”
On his part, the state Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Harrison Omagbon, said that in the Constitution, the Supreme Court is the final court for the determination of the case.
“If in the final, the Supreme Court upholds Shaibu as the deputy governor, the other person steps out of the way because we are respecters of the law”, Omagbon said.
He, however, argued that until then, Omobayo remains the state deputy governor.
In his comment, the Edo State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hillary Otsu, said: “If the court has ruled that Shaibu is deputy governor, no government can change that until a higher court rules to stay the execution of the judgment.
“I hear the judgment is a declarative judgment. What more do they want from the court”, Otsu queried, lamenting the penchant of many Nigerians to disobey court judgments.
Having two deputy governors in one state and given the political tension the judgment reinstating Comrade Shaibu as deputy governor has generated, no doubt, has implications for the peace of Edo State.
The penultimate Thursday political violence in the state, which led to the killing of Police Inspector Akor Onuh, member of security details of the APC governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, which also left many people injured, is a case in point.
Those who do not mean well for the state from both sides of the political divide, cashed in on the court judgment to cause the mayhem.
Perhaps, the bid to douse the high political tension is the reason Shaibu, the beneficiary of the judgment, opted to operate and perform his official duties from his private home in the meantime.
Notwithstanding, the final resolution of who is the deputy governor of Edo State lies with the court.
The post Edo: One state, two deputy governors appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.