The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, was notably absent during the proceedings of the seven-man panel tasked with investigating allegations of perjury and divulging government secrets against him. Chaired by retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa, the panel convened its inaugural session in Benin, the state capital, on Wednesday and concluded its sitting on Friday without Shaibu or his legal representative appearing before it.
The panel had scheduled Thursday for Shaibu to present his defense. However, with his non-appearance, the panel extended the deadline to Friday, which Shaibu also failed to meet. The Edo State House of Assembly, serving as the petitioner in the case, had already presented its case on Wednesday, clearing the path for Shaibu to respond to the allegations leveled against him.
While Shaibu’s counsel, Oladoyin Awoyale, attended the opening session on Wednesday, he left midway through the proceedings after the panel rejected his request to suspend the hearing pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed in Abuja by Shaibu contesting the impeachment process against him. Despite Awoyale’s absence, the Assembly’s Deputy Clerk, Joe Ohiafi, proceeded to articulate the Assembly’s case against Shaibu, asserting that he disclosed state government secrets in an affidavit submitted in support of his lawsuit in Abuja, including documents related to the State Executive Council’s meetings. Ohiafi argued that Shaibu’s actions violated the Oath of Secrecy he had taken and were contrary to the provisions of Schedule 7 of the 1999 Constitution.
During Friday’s session, the Assembly was represented by its Legal Officer, N.U. Ibrahim, accompanied by two others. In response to Shaibu’s continued absence, the panel chair announced the conclusion of the proceedings, stating that they would retire to prepare their report, as mandated by the constitution.
