In a development fraught with controversy, Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja has once again chosen not to interfere in the purported impeachment proceedings aimed at Mr. Phillip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State.
During Wednesday’s court session, the plea for an order to maintain the current state of affairs by the House of Assembly and other relevant parties involved in the impeachment drama was dismissed by the presiding Judge.
Mr. Shaibu, represented by his legal counsel, Professor Olawoyin Awoyale, orally requested an injunction to preserve the status quo until the resolution of his motion on notice.
The erudite advocate, in his attempt to persuade the court to grant the injunction, cited a legal precedent.
In response, Justice Omotoso concluded that the referenced precedent was not pertinent to Mr. Shaibu’s circumstances due to the failure to serve the Governor of Edo State and the Edo State House of Assembly—the principal actors in the impeachment bid—with the originating summons of the lawsuit as required by law.
However, the Judge granted the request for substituted service of the originating summons on the Edo State Governor and the State House of Assembly.
Precisely, Justice Omotoso directed that the court documents be attached to the entrance gates of both the Edo State Government House and the State House of Assembly Complex in Benin.
Furthermore, he mandated that all legal documents be dispatched to the concerned parties via a registered Courier Company.
The court has slated April 15 for the hearing of the case.
Throughout the proceedings, Deputy Governor Phillip Shaibu, present in the chamber, opted not to engage with journalists.
