The retired justice Stephen A Omonuwa-led seven-man panel probing allegations of gross misconducts levelled against the deputy governor of Edo state, Comrade Philip Shaibu, Friday rounded off its sitting.
The panel was set up by the Edo State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Daniel Okungbowa, as part of ongoing impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly against the embattled deputy governor.
At the Friday sitting, the Assembly was represented by its legal officer, N.U. Ibrahim Principal Legal Officer and two others: Favour Atakpu and William Omogbai.
Shaibu and his counsel Professor Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN) were however absent for the second time.
Ruling on the development, the chairman of the panel said, “The panel adjourned sitting for the last time for today to allow the respondent to defend himself.
“The panel shall retire to go and write it’s report as required by the constitution.”
The panel had, on Wednesday, rejected Shaibu counsel’s request to halt the investigation pending the hearing of a suit he filed at Abuja Federal High Court.
Justice Omonuwa (retd.), who rejected the request during the panel’s sitting, held that the Federal High Court in Abuja only asked parties to come and show cause.
Responding to the ruling at the time, counsel to Shaibu, Professor Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN) told the panel that his client (Philip Shaibu) would not be able to continue to participate in the investigation and sought the panel’s permission to be excused.
