By Austin Ogwuda
JUSTICE S.A. Omonuwa 7-man Panel investigating the allegation of gross misconducts levelled against the embattled Edo State governor, Philip Shaibu, has fixed tomorrow (Friday), April 5, 2024, for final adjournment for the deputy governor to open his defence.
The panel during its sitting today (Thursday) said it was an opportunity extended to Shaibu to tell his counsel who walked away on Wednesday during the inaugural sitting of the panel to have a rethink and come back for defence.
When it became apparent that Shaibu’s lawyer was conspicuously absent during Thursday’s sitting the Chairman of the panel, Justice Omonuwa called on the plaintiff, which is the Edo State House of Assembly to proceed.
At this juncture, the Legal Officer, Edo State House of Assembly, N.U. Ibrahim, formally announced his appearance for the Assembly with two other lawyers.
The plaintiff then stated its case.
It prayed the panel to hold that as provided for in the Constitution, only the State House of Assembly could determine what constitutes gross misconduct, stressing that by attaching documents relating to the Edo State Executive Council (EXCO) to the case he filed in the Abuja Federal High Court, Shaibu had breached his Oath of office.
After hearing the submission of the plaintiff, Justice Omonuwa said “The panel is adjourned for the last time to April 5, 2024 at 12 noon, to allow the defendant to present his defence”.
Recall that Shaibu’s lawyer, Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN) had during Wednesday’s sitting before he staged a walkout had drawn the panel’s attention to a subsisting order of an Abuja Federal High Court over the impeachment proceedings.
The Abuja Federal high court had adjourned the case filed before it (move to stop the impeachment proceedings) by Shaibu till April 8, 2024, for parties in the matter to come and show cause why the court should grant or refuse the prayers for interlocutory injunction against the impeachment processes.
But Justice Omonuwa (retd.), while giving his ruling, said the Federal High Court in Abuja only asked parties to come and show cause, insisting that the panel would continue proceedings.
Credit: Punch