Following his purported impeachment saga, the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, is battling for survival as the governor is busy laying mines for his removal from office.
Comrade Shaibu, who is having a frosty relationship with Governor Godwin Obaseki, has approached Federal High Court in Abuja to seek protection from his boss to avoid an imminent impeachment and removal from office.
In a motion of notice brought before the court and made available to newsmen on Thursday, the appellant seeks an order of interlocutory injunction stopping the respondents or their agents from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing or preventing the applicant from carrying out the functions of his office as Deputy Governor of Edo State, including attending State Executive Council meetings and other functions pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in the certified true copy (CTC) of the motion which was seen yesterday, asked the plaintiff and the defendants to allow things remain the way they were before the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/1027/2023 was filed.
The defendants are the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the State Security Service (SSS), the Edo State Governor, the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Edo State.
The judge directed the issuance of hearing notices in the IGP, SSS and the Governor (who were not represented in court by any lawyer) and adjourned till August 10.
Straightnews learned that all has not been well in the state house, Benin City between Governor Obaseki and the Deputy Governor, Comrade Shaibu.
Sources revealed that an alleged dehumanisation and humiliation of the deputy governor by his principal started when Shaibu was seen in a viral video with Senator Adams Oshiomhole during the inauguration of the National Assembly in Abuja.
A source further alleged that a few days after the Abuja viral video, the governor summoned all Edo State House of Assembly PDP members to his mansion, excluding his deputy, which was extremely unusual.
The deputy, who was briefed about the meeting, drove directly to the governor’s mansion but was rebuffed and humiliated by the DSS personnel, who told him he was not on their list of invitees.
The DSS operatives, according to the source, might have been told not to allow him in based on his alleged treason and his association with Senators Adams Oshiomhole and Lawrence Oka.
It was reliably informed that the meeting was held to allocate the leadership positions in preparation for the next day’s inauguration, which was a run-up to ending Philip’s political career and ambition.
However, all efforts to reach the deputy governor or his media aides were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the court papers which listed the Inspector General of Police, the State Security Service, the Governor of Edo State, Speaker Edo House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Edo State as defendants were obtained by this paper.
Amidst the persisting cold war between the governor and his deputy, it was gathered that the former deputy governor, Mike Ogiadomhe, and a former chief judge promptly interfered by summoning the duo to broker peace.
