The reinstated deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, on Monday formally resumed official duty as the number two citizen of the state with the inspection of some ongoing projects.
DAILY POST reports that the deputy governor who was impeached by the State House of Assembly March 18, 2024, was, however, reinstated by Justice J. K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 18, 2024
Justice Omotosho had, while reinstating the deputy governor, in a suit between him (Shaibu), Edo Government and the State House of Assembly averred that the office of the deputy governor was ab initio not vacate.
The court also last week denied the State Government stay of execution order in the impeachment of the deputy governor.
Following the development, Shaibu resumed official duty with the inspection of the ongoing projects awarded by the state government.
The projects inspected by the embattled deputy governor are the ongoing construction of the government owned Radisson Blu Hotel on Golf Course Road, work on Central Road and the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) all in Benin City.
Shaibu, who was accompanied on the inspection by aides and security details, also had a private audience with the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Edwin Iwo-Nemi, before continuing with the inspection.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after interaction with the contractors handling the projects, Shaibu insisted that he had since resumed duties following his reinstatement by Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
According to him, “the issue of reinstatement should be a thing of the past. I don’t think we should be talking about it.
“Judgement has been made. We should move forward. The issue is if I can work with Obaseki. Can I work with him? I can work with him but he cannot work with me.
“The office of the Deputy Governor is not an office under Obaseki. It’s an office created by the Constitution. You should understand the difference between the office of the Governor and the office of the Deputy Governor and the constitutionality of the office.
“I am deputy governor and my role is clearly defined. It’s an elective and not an appointive position. I have my certificate of return. I have two certificates of return”, he said.
He added that he would continue with the inspection of more projects in the next two weeks.
He said he would continue with the project’s inspection in Edo South senatorial district next two weeks, and thereafter to Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts, respectively, to check what the outgoing administration had done.
“My own duty as deputy governor is to discharge my duties as deputy governor. I have come to inspect what is going on here at the museum. We went round and to other projects. Administratively, there are issues that have to be sorted out.
“There are administrative issues at Radisson Blu which have to be sorted out. It’s work and work. In the next six weeks, we have to put things in proper perspective so that the next sheriff in town will know where we are.
“I am doing my work as deputy governor. I am on ground and not in exile. A new sheriff is in town and we must hand him over to him. That’s where we are”, he added.
Meanwhile, the State Government has warned Philip Shiabu not to act in breach of extant laws.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the governor, Crusoe Osagie, warned Shaibu not to disrupt the process of governance but to subject himself to the law at all times.
“Shaibu, just like any private citizen, can take a tour around the exceptional projects of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“We warn, however, that both Philip Shaibu and the security agencies should not carry out actions that violate the laws and the constitution.
“Shaibu should be patient and wait for the Appeal Court to hear his matter; he needs to learn to subject himself to authority of the law”, he stated.
