Edo: Court Initiates Further Steps in Shaibu’s Lawsuit against Obaseki

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered all parties to sustain the position quo in the complaint filed by Edo State Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu, alleging that the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, is attempting to withdraw his security details and impeach him.

Shaibu had requested that the court issue a restraining order against Obaseki and others.

When the case FHC/ABJ/CS/1027/2023 came up for hearing on Thursday, Justice Ahmed Mohammed ordered the parties to maintain the status quo until the next hearing date, precisely as it had previously determined.

Only three of the five defendants have complied with a previous decision requiring them to show cause why the plaintiff’s interlocutory injunctions should not be issued, according to Justice Mohammed.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), the State Security Service (SSS), the Governor of Edo State, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, and the Chief Judge of Edo State are among those named as defendants.

During Thursday’s session, DSS lawyer I. Awo asked for time to allow his client to comply with the decision in an oral application.

In the event that all appropriate proceedings were submitted, Justice Mohammed delayed the case to August 22 for the defendants to show cause and maybe the hearing of the substantive matter.

The judge also issued a hearing notice to the IGP, who had also failed to comply with the order to show cause and was not represented in court by a lawyer.