By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The seven-man panel investigating the impeachment allegations against the embattled Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, is set to write a report on its activities so far.
This comes amid the refusal of Shaibu to honour invitations extended to him.
At the resumed sitting on Thursday,4 April,2024, the panel led by Justice S.A. Omonua (rtd), adjourned sitting to Friday,5 april, 2024 so as to give more opportunity for Shaibu to present his defence.
But neither Shaibu nor his counsel appeared before the committee.
At its sitting on Friday, Justice Omonua lamented the deputy governor’s absence.
“This is the position of the panel. The panel adjourned sitting to today (Friday) for the last time for the respondent to present its defence, and the respondent is still not before the panel,” he said.
According to him, the panel is closing its sitting to consider its report as provided by the constitution.
Recall that counsel to the deputy governor, Professor Oladoyin Awoyale, SAN, had withdrawn from participating in the proceedings after the panel ruled against his motion.
Awoyale had urged the panel to comply with a Federal High Court, Abuja, that ordered the panel to show cause on why an interlocutory injunction to maintain status quo on the proceeding of the petition pending the determination of the case should not be granted to the plaintiff.
He, however, urged the panel to wait for the decision of the Federal High Court on the matter slated for April 8, 2024.
