By Ayo Kehinde
Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu has described as embarrassing and an affront on the Judiciary, a statement by Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, describing the Deputy Governor as “an impostor”.
Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Deputy Governor, Ebhomhiana Musa on Tuesday said the statement is also a violation of a valid court order.
He said, “To say the least, the statement, in it’s entirety is an affront on the judiciary, and a clear violation of a valid court order of July 17, 2024 as delivered by Hon Justice James Omotosho of the FCT Federal High Court. We also view it as an insult to the people of Edo State who overwhelmingly voted the Godwin Obaseki/ Philip Shaibu joint ticket in the governorship election of September 2020.
“It’s a known fact that the Edo people never voted for Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as their deputy governor. It’s also a known fact that in the eyes of the law, Omobayo Godwins is only a political appointee of Governor Godwin Obaseki who imposed him on the people of Edo State.
“So, Nehikhare should know, except if he wants to be mischievous, Omobayo Godwins is the impostor who should stop parading himself as the Edo State Deputy Governor because he was never voted for.”
Musa said that several times, brilliant minds in the judiciary have conversed that filing a stay of execution on a declarative judgment of a competent court of law does not vitiate the execution of the court judgment, adding that both parties must obey the judgment, pending the determination of the stay of execution by the same court.
“However, we are not surprised by this brazen display of executive lawlessness and rascality by the Edo State Government,” Musa said.
“Governor Obaseki is one governor who is well known for his disdain for the judiciary and flagrant disrespect for judicial pronouncements. Erroneously, he also believes that every man has a price. He was said to have boasted several times at various quarters that Omobayo remains his deputy governor until he serves out his term as Edo State Governor.’
“It’s unfortunate that Governor Godwin Obaseki has behaved as if he is law unto himself, especially since the July 17 court judgment which reinstated Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu as Deputy Governor of Edo State after his purported impeachment by the State House of Assembly in April 2024.”
