In a recent development, the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected an ex-parte motion filed by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, to seek an interim order that would halt the ongoing impeachment process initiated by the state House of Assembly.
The motion, which was marked as FHC/ABJ/CS/321/2024, listed the state government, the state governor, the state House of Assembly, the state House of Assembly Speaker, Clerk, the state Chief Judge, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director General of the Department of State Services as the first to eighth defendants.
In the suit, Shaibu requested that the court issue an order restraining the third to fifth defendants from commencing any process related to his removal, such as issuing a notice of allegation, holding proceedings, or establishing any investigation panel, until the hearing of a motion on notice.
Additionally, Shaibu sought an interim injunction that would prevent the defendants, whether directly or through their agents, from interfering with the subject matter of the suit, including any actions aimed at removing him from office as the deputy governor.
Among the reliefs sought in the motion were orders to prevent the defendants from hindering Shaibu’s performance of his official duties, attending State Executive Council meetings/functions, and maintaining the status quo ante bellum prevailing before the initiation of the impeachment process.
However, in a ruling dated March 13, Justice James Omotosho, the trial judge, declined Shaibu’s prayers.
Meanwhile, in the proceedings on Tuesday, the judge scheduled Wednesday for the hearing of another motion ex-parte filed by Shaibu. This motion seeks substituted service on the defendants due to difficulties encountered in serving them with the court papers.
Although the outcome of the subsequent motion remains to be seen, the court’s refusal to grant the initial ex-parte motion indicates that the impeachment process will continue as planned unless a different ruling is issued in the future.
