Philip Shaibu, the former Edo Deputy Governor who was impeached by the state House of Assembly, has broken his silence on his removal from office.
Journalist101 recalls that Shaibu was Impeached over accusation of leaking the state government’s secrets and committing perjury.
It also described Shaibu’s alleged offences as impeachable.
However, reacting to the development, Shaibu said his impeachment is “illegal” and an attack not just on him, but “our democratic principles, a dangerous descent into dictatorship and a treat to our democracy.”
He added that the impeachment “was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo State 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party. An ambition that is a legal right to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He said that he doesn’t deserve this treatment meted on him after serving the state with all he has.
“I’ve dedicated my life to serving the good people of Edo State with integrity and honesty. I’ve worked tirelessly to improve the lives of our citizens. I’ve uphold the values of democracy and justice and in return, I’m faced with baseless accusations and blatant disregard for due process and rule of law.
He described the reasons for his Impeachment as a “smokescreen to conceal the true motive behind this Impeachment. It’s a fragrant abuse of power and a betrayal of the trust that the people of Edo State have placed in their elected officials.
“We refuse to stay inactive while our democratic institutions are manipulated and exploited for personal gain. We will fight this injustice with every strength we have for the sake of the people of Edo State and the future of democracy.”
He called on the citizens of the state and Nigerians that believe in justice “to stand with us in this moment of crisis. We can’t allow tyranny and oppression to take roots in our society, we must resist the forces that seek to undermine our freedom and trample upon our rights.”
He chided the members of the state House of Assembly for their betrayal of the people that elected them and called on the judiciary to rise to its responsibility and “expose the shame that has been orchestrated against me,” stressing that he won’t be “deterred or intimidated by those who seek to subvert our democracy. I’ll continue to fight for the right and freedom of all Edolites by extensions Nigerians that suffer oppression.”
He urged his supporters to remain calm while thanking them for the opportunity given him so far.
