Shuaibu’s Impeachment Saga: Personal Vendetta or Nemesis?
By: Oriaifoh Godwins
We live in a physical world that is spiritually controlled.
I have always told people that care to listen, that: Every action has an equal and opposite reactions. Inotherwords, whatever you sow, you will definitely reap…whatever you do, good or bad, will definitely come back to you in same measure.
In the case of what is currently happening to Edo state Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Phillip Shuaibu however, I may not be completely right though, which is why the caption of this my write up bears a question mark.
Some years back, when Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror was the Deputy Speaker to Rt. Hon. Kebiru Adjoto, in Edo state House of Assembly, EDHA, for whatever reason best known to the ‘players’ at that time, Edoror’s salaries were stopped. When he, Edoror, approached the then Speaker of the House Kebiru Adjoto, for explanations, Adjoto asked Edoror to go and SETTLE with the Deputy Governor, Phillip Shuaibu. On meeting with Shuaibu, the Deputy governor, he was assured that, the issue will be resolved with the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki. Edoror left and waited for days, perhaps weeks, but, he got no response as the situation remained the same. Finally, he approached the governor who feigned innocence, but Edoror, who was before then, a Speaker, who knows how the system works, made it clear to the governor that, there is no way his salary could have been stopped without the consent and signature of the governor.
Edoror wrote countless letters, to the governor, through Kebiru Adjoto, the Speaker, demanding for his salary to be paid; his efforts yielded no result. He later took the matter to court, and even to the Industrial court, judgement was given in his favour, but alas, for years, and till date, Edoror’s salaries were not paid; but today, it is said that, when this imbroglio between the governor and his Deputy started, Shuaibu’s salaries were stopped by the governor and his office was moved out of Osadebey Avenue? Could this be personal Vendetta or Nemesis?
I need not talk about how Phillip Shuaibu became a member of Edo state House of Assembly, and the Majority Leader of the House, years back; I need not talk about how he became Member of the National Assembly, NASS, and how he from the NASS became the Deputy Governor of Edo state. Did Comrade Adams Oshiomhole play any role in Shuaibu's Political Ladder climbing to the height he got to? if so, how did Phillip Shuaibu pay Oshiomhole back?
I hope the people of Edo state have not forgotten all the drama that played in 2020 during the electioneering campaign for Obaseki’s second tenure? I hope they have not forgotten how Phillip Shuaibu rubbished Oshiomhole in the name of Politics? I hope Edo people still remember how Oshiomhole was brought down from the high level he was, as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC?
However, on Wednesday, the 6th of March 2024, a seven days impeachment notice, from Edo state House of Assembly, duly signed by over two third of members of the House, has been served on the Deputy Governor, and as at today, Thursday, 7th of March, he has six days to respond; is this PERSONAL VENDATTA or NEMESIS?
As all these are going on, I am very sure that, some people somewhere are already urging Governor Godwin Obaseki to go ahead and not back pedal on the impeachment of his Deputy; such people should however be reminded that the ‘Merry’ will sure go round…las, las, na everybody go chop breakfast; their breakfast will be served at a time in future.
In view of the Push and Pull that is happening in Edo politics, and in Osadebey Avenue, my humble advice, is for Mr. Obaseki to temper Justice with mercy, as to err is human, but to forgive is divine.