The seven-man panel set up by the Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to investigate the allegation of gross misconducts levelled against the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu has fixed Friday, April 5, 2024, for final adjournment for the deputy governor to defend himself.
The panel took the decision when it resumed its sitting on Thursday, and the deputy governor and his counsel were absent.
The chairman of the panel, Retired Justice S. A Omonuwa had said the panel would wait to see if the defendant would open his defence and thereafter called for the defendant.
When it became obvious that the defendant, Shaibu, was absent and was not represented, Retired Justice Omonuwa called for an appearance for the plaintiff, the Edo State House of Assembly, which initiated the impeachment process.
The chairman then ruled that the panel would still adjourn to give the defendant the opportunity to appear before it to present his defence.
It would be recalled that at the inaugural sitting of the panel on Wednesday, Shaibu’s counsel, Prof Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN), took the leave of the panel to excuse himself and the defendant from continuing with the panel’s proceedings.
Awoyale hinged his stance on his submission that all parties in the matter ought to obey the order of an Abuja Federal High Court which asked the parties to appear before it on April 8 to show cause why it should or should not grant the enforcement of fundamental human rights prayer Shaibu tabled before the court.