The Edo State House of Assembly has passed a resolution directing the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
Nineteen out of the 24 members of the House voted in favour of the resolution during plenary on Tuesday.
Earlier, the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, had notified the House that the seven-day ultimatum granted the deputy governor to respond to the impeachment notice served on him has expired.
Agbebaku said the impeachment notice was served on the deputy governor on March 6, 2024 but due to alleged evasion of service, the House ordered that he be served through substituted means.
He said the substituted service was published in the state owned newspaper The Observer, and the Vanguard Newspaper, on March 12, 2024.
The notice, according to him, expired by March 19.
In a motion, the Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghan, moved that the Chief Judge be directed to set up seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.
Aiguobarueghan averred that the motion was in line with Section 188, Sub-section 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He noted that failure of the deputy governor to respond to the petition at the stipulated time was not a problem as Section 188, Sub-section 3, clearly stated that “whether he responds or not, the House has a duty to perform”.
“That duty was bestowed by Section 188, Sub-section 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that a motion be moved, when it will be resolved that if these allegations are not denied, they are worthy of investigation.
“I am, therefore, moving a motion in pursuant to Section 188, Sub-section 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is designed not to be argued.
“That the notice served on the deputy governor alleging gross misconduct be sent for investigation and that the Speaker cause the Chief Judge of the state to set up a seven-man committee to look at the allegations and report its findings to this House as soon as possible,” he said.
In a voice vote, 19 members voted in support of the motion, which was more than two-thirds of members of the House.
The Speaker subsequently directed the Chief Judge to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.
