Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu again allegedly refused to appear before the seven-man panel investigating him on allegations of constitutional breaches.
The seven-man panel had shifted sitting and warned him against failure to appear on Friday (today) when it reconvened on Thursday.
But at the resumed sitting on Friday, neither Shaibu nor his counsel appeared before the panel.
NewsNGR reports that at the panel’s inaugural sitting on Wednesday, Shaibu was represented by Professor Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN), who informed the panel that he would not be continuing with the panel’s proceedings on the ground that an Abuja High Court had asked all parties before it to stay action.
This followed a case of enforcement of fundamental human rights instituted by Shaibu to stop his impeachment.
He informed the panel that the court had asked all parties to appear before it on Monday, April 8, 2024, to show cause on why or not it should grant the reliefs sought.
The panel however overruled the objection forcing Shaibu’s counsel to seek permission to excuse himself from the sitting.
And on Thursday, following Shaibu’s failure to appear before the panel, the chairman of the panel ruled that “the panel adjourned sitting for the last time for today to allow the respondent to defend himself.
“The panel shall retire to go and write its report as required by the constitution,” Justice Omonuwa (Rtd) had ruled.
The panel however concluded its sitting on Friday and is expected to forward its report to the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.