On Monday, April 8, the people of Edo State witnessed a dramatic event like never before.
On that fateful day, members of the state’s House of Assembly impeached Comrade Philip Shaibu as the deputy governor of the state, citing allegations of misconduct.
Prior to his impeachment, Chief Justice Daniel Okungbowa had established a seven-member investigative panel.
That panel was saddled with the responsibility of investigating allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.
Official Secrets
The seven-member panel, headed by Justice Stephen Omonua (Rtd) concluded that Shaibu was guilty of disclosing official secrets.
Now, before we proceed, let us take a moment to look at the term ‘Impeachment’.
Impeachment is a political process designed to oust elected officials from their positions due to misconduct or violations of the law.
Most importantly, Philip Shaibu is not the only deputy governor who has been impeached in Nigeria. In fact, there’s a handful of them.
Now, in the aftermath of Shaibu’s impeachment, let’s explore noteworthy deputy governors in Nigeria who have faced impeachment proceedings in the past.
1. Garba Gadi
Former Bauchi Deputy Governor Garba Gadi was impeached on August 13, 2009.
His impeachment trailed a rift with Governor Isa Yuguda, who defected from the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Gadi chose to remain in ANPP, leading to his impeachment for alleged impeachable offenses.
However, he was reinstated on June 25, 2010, by a court in Bauchi State.
The court ordered his return to office and the prompt payment of his outstanding official entitlements.
2. Peremobowei Ebebi
Also, in June 2010, Peremobowei Ebebi, the former deputy governor of Bayelsa State, encountered impeachment.
Nonetheless, his reinstatement occurred on February 16, 2011, following a favorable ruling by the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt.
3. Sunday Onyebuchi’s Impeachment
Enugu State witnessed the impeachment of Sunday Onyebuchi as deputy governor on August 26, 2014, due to accusations of gross misconduct.
However, his reinstatement took place on December 18, 2015, following a ruling by the Enugu High Court led by Justice Reuben Odugu.
4. Ali Olanusi
He was a former deputy governor of Ondo State. He faced impeachment in 2015 for alleged misconduct.
This came after he defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nevertheless, the Appeal Court in Akure nullified the impeachment on March 24, 2017.
5. Eze Madumere’s Impeachment
Madumere’s tenure as deputy governor of Imo State was marred by impeachment on July 31, 2018.
Yet, he reclaimed his position after the Imo State High Court in Owerri invalidated the impeachment, deeming it legally flawed.
6. Simon Achuba
His term as deputy governor of Kogi State was abruptly terminated on October 18, 2019, following allegations of gross misconduct by the State House of Assembly.
He was subsequently replaced with Edward Onoja, appointed by former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello.
7. Mahdi Aliyu Gusau’s Impeachment
Gusau faced removal from his post as deputy governor of Zamfara State on February 23, 2022, with unanimous support from the lawmakers in the Zamfara State House of Assembly.
Nonetheless, a year later, he was reinstated following a ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
8. Rauf Olaniyan
Also the former Deputy Governor faced impeachment by the Oyo House of Assembly on July 18, 2022, after he was found guilty of all allegations brought against him.
Also Read: Photos: Omobayo Godwins Sworn-In As New Edo Deputy Gov
The allegations were thoroughly investigated by a seven-man panel commissioned by Chief Judge Munta Abimbola.
This follows a directive from the Assembly in June, stemming from accusations of gross misconduct and financial recklessness.