Edo Govt Rejects Court Ruling, Accuses Shaibu of Impersonating Deputy Governor Omobayo

The Edo State Government has rejected a court decision to reinstate the impeached Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

The government has accused Shaibu of impersonating the current deputy governor, Marvellous Omobayo, by falsely corresponding with individuals and organizations as the deputy governor.

The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, issued a statement on Monday in Benin, urging the public to disregard any correspondence from Shaibu.

"Shaibu, for now, is not the Deputy Governor of Edo, and every correspondence from him in that regard should be disregarded and considered a forgery," Nehikhare stated.

The controversy began when Shaibu was impeached by the state House of Assembly but was later reinstated on July 19 by a federal high court in Abuja.

Despite the court's ruling, the state government and the Edo House of Assembly have filed motions challenging Shaibu’s reinstatement.

They are seeking an order for a stay of execution and an order suspending the judgment, as well as restraining Shaibu from parading himself as the deputy governor.

Nehikhare emphasized that Omobayo remains the legitimate deputy governor and warned of potential security risks. "Security agencies are, by this notice, alerted to the potential breach of peace and are urged to hold Philip Shaibu responsible for any security breach in the state arising from his ignoble actions," he added.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 24, and the outcome could have implications for local governance and legal interpretations of impeachment processes in Nigeria.