By Ogochukwu Isioma
Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu has denied ever being served with impeachment notice from the State House of Assembly as alleged by the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku.
Recall that Agbebaku at plenary on Monday, claimed that Shaibu has refused to acknowledge the impeachment notice allegedly served him and subsequently directed that the notice be published in newspapers.
But, in a letter dated March 12, 2024 addressed to the Speaker, the Deputy Governor, through his Personal Assistant, Charles Olubayo, denied ever receiving an impeachment notice from the State House of Assembly.
Shaibu, who insisted he was not evading service, therefore, demanded a correction of the impression created by the Speaker in the public to avoid misinterpretation in the impeachment matter.
The letter, titled “Re: Service of impeachment notice,” clarified that no notice was ever served on Shaibu who has been in Abuja since March 3, even before the matter became public knowledge.
The letter reads in part, “Mr. Speaker was quoted to have also stated at the said plenary that “the action became necessary because the Deputy Governor refused to acknowledge an earlier impeachment notice sent to him through the Clerk of the House.
“We wish to state categorically that: No impeachment notice was ever served on the Deputy Governor let alone refusing to acknowledge the impeachment notice. The Deputy Governor has since March 3, 2024 travelled out of Benin to Abuja and has not returned to Benin since the said March 3, 2024.
“The Clerk never saw the Deputy Governor whether in the office, at home or anywhere for that matter since the said date hence surprised that the House resolved to publish the impeachment notice in the Observer and other National dailies because “the Deputy Governor refused to acknowledge the earlier impeachment notice sent to him through the Clerk of the House”. One therefore wonders where the Clerk or his appointee served him the impeachment notice and he refused to acknowledge it.
“That neither the Clerk nor any person sent impeachment notice to the Deputy Governor which he refused to acknowledge. It is therefore our prayer that Mr. Speaker corrects the impression created in the public as the outcome of yesterday’s plenary to avoid misrepresentation in this all-important matter.”
