The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, failed to appear before the seven-man panel that probed allegations of perjury and leaking of the government’s secrets against him.
The retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa-led panel, which had its inaugural sitting on Wednesday in Benin, ended its sitting on Friday with Shaibu or his counsel failing to show up.
The panel had adjourned till Thursday for Shaibu to open his defence but when he did not show up, he was given Friday as the final day to defend the allegation against him.
The Edo State House of Assembly which is the petitioner in the case, had on Wednesday opened and closed its case, paving the way for Shaibu to defend the allegations levelled against him.
The Counsel to Shaibu, Prof Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN), attended the Wednesday (the opening day) sitting but excused himself in the middle of the hearing after the panel refused his prayer to suspend the proceedings pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed in Abuja by Shaibu challenging the impeachment move against him by the state Assembly.
The panel chairman, Justice Omonuwa, upheld the opposition to the suspension prayer by the Assembly, represented by its Deputy Clerk, Joe Ohiafi.
After Awoyale excused himself, Ohiafi went on to state the Assembly case against Shaibu.
In his submission, the Deputy Clerk told the panel that Shaibu leaked the Edo State government’s secrets in the affidavit he filed in support of his suit in Abuja. He said Shaibu tendered documents relating to the State Executive Council’s meeting.
According to Ohiafi, Shaibu violated the Oath of Secrecy he took and acted contrary to the provisions of Schedule 7 of the 1999 Constitution.
At the Friday’s sitting, the Assembly was represented by its Legal Officer, N.U. Ibrahim, who appeared with two others.
Ruling on the development, the Chairman of the panel noted that “the panel adjourned sitting for the last time for today (Friday) to allow the respondent to defend himself.