‘Impeachment plot’: Court orders parties to maintain status quo in Shaibu’s suit against Obaseki

A federal high court in Abuja has restated that parties in a suit filed by Phillip Shaibu, Edo state deputy governor, should maintain the status quo, pending the next hearing date.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1027/2023, Shaibu accused Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, of plotting to impeach him. 

Shaibu is praying the court to restrain Obaseki and other defendants from taking steps to prevent him from performing his official responsibilities –including impeaching him.

According to the court documents seen by TheCable, “the inspector-general of police, state security service, governor of Edo, speaker of Edo state house of assembly, and chief judge of Edo state,” were listed as first to fifth defendants, respectively.

Ruling on Shaibu’s ex parte application on August 4, Ahmed Mohammed, the presiding judge, directed the parties in the suit to maintain “status quo ante bellum”.

He also ordered the defendants to show cause why the interim orders sought by the plaintiff should not be granted.

At the resumed proceeding on Thursday, George Ibrahim, counsel to the deputy governor, told the court that the third (Obaseki), fourth (speaker of the state assembly), and fifth (Edo chief judge) defendants have shown cause and served them their counter-affidavits.

He said the Department of State Services (DSS) which is the second defendant, did not show cause but filed a counter affidavit to the originating summon.

However, Ibrahim said the IGP is yet to comply with the directive of the court.

Responding, I Awo, counsel to the DSS, contended that the service ought not to have been joined as a party in the suit.

Nevertheless, he sought leave of the court to comply with the order to show cause.

There was no legal representative for the IGP.

In his ruling, the presiding judge ordered all parties to maintain the status quo, pending the conclusion of the matter.

He gave the DSS two working days to show cause.

Mohammed adjourned the matter till August 22 for all the defendants to show cause and possibly, the hearing of the substantive suit, in the case that all necessary processes were filed.