Politics
Fresh Dispute Greets Shaibu’s Resumption As Deputy Gov
Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, has resumed his duties after a Federal High Court’s ruling invalidated his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly.
In a Monday video posted on his X handle, Shaibu instructed staff who had not returned to work following his reinstatement to resume immediately or face repercussions.
He also issued a warning to banks, declaring that all transactions with the Deputy Governor’s Office conducted without his consent are illegal.
Related News: Edo Assembly Impeaches Deputy Gov Shaibu
Shaibu reaffirmed that his return is in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, stating, “In adherence to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, I announce my official resumption to office.”
He added that the court’s judgment confirmed that his office had remained occupied throughout the dispute.
In response, Governor Godwin Obaseki has accused Shaibu of impersonation and advised the public to disregard him.
He said, “It has come to the attention of the Edo State Government that the former Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, has been carrying out correspondence with different institutions and organisations both within and outside the State in a clear case of impersonation.”
The Edo State Government, through a statement from the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, reiterated that Shaibu is not the legitimate Deputy Governor and warned that any correspondence from him in that capacity should be disregarded as forgery.
He stated that the matter of his alleged reinstatement remains under judicial review, with the next hearing for the two motions filed by the state government and the Edo House of Assembly against his purported reinstatement scheduled for September 24, 2024.
He emphasized that the current status quo designates Omobayo Marvelous Godwins as the legitimate Deputy Governor of Edo State. Any correspondence from individuals other than Godwins, including Philip Shaibu, is considered impersonation.
He also urged security agencies to be vigilant for potential breaches of peace and to hold Philip Shaibu accountable for any security issues arising from his actions.
In response to the governor through his media office, Shaibu stated that the matter of his alleged impeachment had been resolved by the court.
He highlighted that the court had ruled that the Office of the Deputy Governor was never vacant, declaring the actions of the State House of Assembly and the state government as illegal, null, and void.
Shaibu said, “To be clear, the court judgment that reinstated Comrade Shaibu as Deputy Governor was declarative and must be abided by (obey before complain). The judgment perpetually restrained the state government and its agents from preventing His Excellency from performing his duties as the only Deputy Governor of the state.
“As it stands, Mr. Marvellous Omobayo Godwins is the impersonator here and liable to contempt of the court order. Besides, the judgement had barred even the governor from interfering with his duties as Deputy Governor.”
However, he advised Nehikhare and state government representatives to await the court’s decision on their “purported request” for a stay of execution, which is set to be heard on September 24, 2024.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
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According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has handed a significant setback to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, dismissing his appeal challenging a Federal High Court ruling that questioned his eligibility to contest the upcoming governorship election.
A three-member panel delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday, affirming that the trial court acted correctly when it allowed Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the plaintiff, to amend his originating summons.
ALSO READ: No Shake-Up in Ondo: Aiyedatiwa Denies Plot To Remove Deputy Gov
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, said the governor failed to show that the High Court’s decision caused any miscarriage of justice or denied him a fair hearing.
The appeal was therefore dismissed for lacking merit, and the court awarded ₦2 million in costs against Aiyedatiwa.
The ruling reinforces the November 24, 2025, Federal High Court decision in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo permission to challenge Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal also rejected an application by Aiyedatiwa to set aside a January 27, 2026, order staying proceedings in the case before the Federal High Court.
The appellate court clarified that the stay was a lawful exercise of its jurisdiction aimed at protecting the integrity of the proceedings.
The panel further emphasized that attempting to overturn its own order would be akin to sitting on appeal over its own decision.
The governor’s remaining option, the court noted, is to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court. Another ₦2 million in costs was awarded against Aiyedatiwa.
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has deepened following a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld a ban on the party’s proposed national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A three-man panel of the appellate court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear a suit concerning the controversial convention.
The Turaki-led faction had approached the Court of Appeal after a Federal High Court barred the party from holding its planned national convention scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2025.
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The lower court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or validating the proposed convention.
However, delivering judgment, the appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court had the authority to entertain the case, rejecting the argument that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party.
According to the court, the appellants could not present what it described as a clear violation of the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as merely an internal party issue.
The panel subsequently dismissed the appeal and awarded a cost of N2 million against the appellants.
The ruling is part of judgments delivered in nine harmonised appeals filed by the Turaki-led faction over the dispute surrounding the convention.
The latest court decision is expected to further intensify the internal wrangling within the opposition party as it continues to grapple with leadership disputes and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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