Governor Obaseki hailed Mr Shaibu's removal from office, saying the state assembly carried out its constitutional role of providing checks and balances.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has hailed the removal of his former deputy, Philip Shaibu, from office, saying the state House of Assembly carried out its constitutional role of providing checks and balances.
"Over the past few weeks, the Edo State House of Assembly carried out its constitutional role by providing checks and balances in our democracy, and today (Monday), they impeached the former deputy governor," Mr Obaseki wrote on his X handle.
The removal of Mr Shaibu as the deputy governor was the peak of his prolonged political rift with Governor Obaseki.
Reacting to Mr Shaibu's sacking while welcoming his new deputy, Mr Obaseki said he never envisaged he would have to work with two deputies before the end of his administration. Still, there could not be a vacuum in government.
"At no point in this journey did I envisage that I would have to work with two deputies before the end of my eight-year run in office. As there cannot be a vacuum in government, we have, by consensus, selected Omobayo Godwins to take over the baton as the new Deputy Governor of Edo State.
"At 38 years old, my new deputy, Omobayo, is a symbol of our undying belief in the power of our youth to transform our dear state, bringing vigour and renewed energy to the drive to place young people at the centre of politics and development agenda.
"Omabayo is the man for this season. Together, we will be working in these last few months of my administration as we make progress on our promise to finish strong for the benefit of our dear people," he said in a post on X.
Mr Godwins, a former Labour Party member who lost the 2023 House of Representatives election for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency, was sworn in on Monday as Edo State Deputy Governor following the removal of Mr Shaibu by the state assembly.
The assembly at its plenary on Monday overwhelmingly voted for removing Mr Shaibu after adopting the panel report constituted by the state chief judge to investigate the allegations of perjury and disclosure of government secrets levelled against him by the lawmakers.
In his first reaction, after he was removed from office, Mr Shaibu said the lawmakers had betrayed the trust of the Edo people, adding that he was removed from office because of his governorship ambition.
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Mr Shaibu, who said the legal system will vindicate him, has vowed to challenge his impeachment at the court.
The former deputy governor has had a prolonged political feud with Governor Obaseki over his governorship ambition, which the governor did not support.
Mr Obaseki preferred another person, Asue Ighodalo, a former chairperson of Sterling Bank, as his successor. He has supported him in securing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 21 September governorship election in the state.
Mr Shaibu had said he felt hurt and betrayed that despite his investment in Mr Obaseki's second term, the governor preferred another person as his successor.
Governor Obaseki, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, favours power shift to Edo Central senatorial district since he is from Edo South and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole (now senator), along with Mr Shaibu, hails from Edo North.
Mr Obaseki's preferred successor, Mr Ighodalo, hails from Edo Central.
