Shortly after Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State was impeached by the state House of Assembly, Governor Godwin Obaseki appointed a 38-year-old engineer, Omobayo Godwin as a replacement.
Efforts are being made for the inauguration of Godwin as the new deputy governor of the state.
According to the panel set up for the impeachment proceedings of the former deputy gov, Shuaibu was sacked for leaking the state government’s secrets.
On the contrary, Shaibu said his impeachment was due to his ambition to become the state governor.
Philip Shaibu
Described his impeachment by the state House of Assembly as illegal, Shaibu noted that the impeachment did not follow due process.
The state House of Assembly impeached the embattled state deputy governor following the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the state Chief Judge to probe allegations of misconduct against him.
In a statement Shaibu shared today on his X handle, he said, “My good people of Edo State, I thank you all for standing by me in these troubling circumstances as the deputy governor of Edo State.
“It is with a heavy heart, yet a resolute spirit, that I come before you to address the recent events that are unfolding in our dear state. I denounce in the strongest term the illegal impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly over baseless charges. This is not just an attack on me as an individual but on the democracy that we hold dear.
“It is a dangerous descend into dictatorship and a threat to the foundation of our democracy. Let it be clear that this impeachment was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo State 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. An ambition that is a legal right to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Born July 19, 1986, Omobayo hails from Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state.
He has B.Eng Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and an MSc in Public Administration from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), preparing for the role of a professional and an expert in public administration.
He is a registered member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
Before his new appointment, he served as a Senior Maintenance Engineer at Dresser Wayne West Africa Limited, cutting his professional teeth in the operations in the South-South area, providing top-notch services and growing the business in the region.
He has also been active in politics in his local government, building bridges of trust with the people and mobilising them for common causes, and breaking political barriers to the chagrin of his opponents.
