The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, was notably absent on Thursday to open his defence before the seven-man panel probing allegations of perjury and leaking government secrets against him.
The panel, led by retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa, had convened its inaugural sitting on Wednesday in Benin and had adjourned till Thursday specifically for Shaibu to begin his defence.
While the Edo State House of Assembly, the petitioner in the case, had presented its case on Wednesday, Shaibu and his lawyer, Prof Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN), were notably absent on Thursday.
Awoyale, who had been present during the previous hearing, had left the proceedings after the panel rejected his request to suspend the proceedings pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by Shaibu challenging the impeachment move against him by the state Assembly.
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During Thursday’s hearing, the Assembly, represented by its Deputy Clerk, Joe Ohaifa, reiterated its case against Shaibu, accusing him of leaking government secrets in the affidavit he filed in support of his lawsuit in Abuja.
Ohaifa alleged that Shaibu disclosed documents related to the State Executive Council’s meeting, violating the Oath of Secrecy and acting contrary to the provisions of Schedule 7 of the 1999 Constitution.
Despite Shaibu’s absence, the panel ruled to adjourn for the last time to April 5, 2024, at 12 noon, giving Shaibu one final opportunity to present his defence.
The impeachment proceedings against Shaibu were initiated by the Edo State House of Assembly on March 5, based on allegations of perjury and leaking government secrets.
The panel was established by the Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, at the request of the Assembly.
