Edo Govt: “Shaibu Is Planning to Invade Govt House”
Shaibu: “That’s A Lie, I’m Not planning to Invade Anywhere”
By Abiola Olawale
The government of Edo State and the immediate past Deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu are locked in a battle of words over an alleged plan by the later to invade Edo State Government House.
The State government in a statement issued on Sunday by the State governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Crusoe Osagie alleged that Shaibu had perfected plans to invade the State Government House on Monday in a bid to allegedly enforce what he considered as his reinstatement in office.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja had reportedly reinstated Shaibu as the deputy governor of Edo State on July 17, three months after the Edo House of Assembly had impeached him.
Justice James Omotosho had declared that Shaibu’s impeachment by the state assembly was illegal.Omotosho also directed the Inspector General of Police to restore Shaibu’s security details, and directed that the impeached deputy governor’s salaries and allowances be paid from April when he was ousted from office.
However, consequent upon this, the Edo State government
approached the Court Appeal, asking the court to grant a stay of execution. The case is still pending at the Court of Appeal as no judgement appears to have been declared by the presiding judge.
In the statement issued on Sunday, Osagie said that a stay of execution appeal had been filed at the Court of Appeal adding that the Edo State Government is challenging the earlier ruling by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Osagie also called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, and all well-meaning Nigerians to immediately look into the allegations and protect the state government house from the alleged invasion.
The statement reads in part: “We want to draw the attention of the Inspector-General of Police to the intelligence we have gathered regarding a planned move by the erstwhile Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, to forcefully enter the Edo State Government House to purportedly enforce the ruling of Justice J. K. Omotosho.
“The stay of execution is still pending at the Court of Appeal, and we appeal to the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that the state does not descend into anarchy because of the ambition of one man. The last time Shaibu attempted this, it led to the death of a police officer. We believe that one death is already too many, and it would be wise to prevent a recurrence.”
However, in a swift response, Shaibu in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Ebomhiana, denied the allegations, accusing the State government of raising false alarm and crying foul where none exists.
According to him, the allegations are baseless and untrue. He insisted that the Edo state government should accept the fact that the 2024 governorship election had been concluded.
He said: “There is no iota of truth in it, please. They should know that the election has been lost and won. This is cheap blackmail and propaganda.”
