Impeachment notice against deputy governor beyond me, Edo speaker

The Speaker of Edo House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has said the decision to serve an impeachment notice on the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, was a unanimous decision reached by 21 of 24 members.

Agbebaku made this known when he received members of the Catholic Men Organization of Nigeria, Benin Province, in his office in Benin on Tuesday.

The group, led by Mr Steven Apologun, said they were in the assembly to intervene in the impeachment move the house was making against the deputy governor.

The speaker thanked the members of the organisation for the peace move but stressed that the decision was beyond him.

Agbebaku noted that the decision reached by the house to serve the impeachment rested on all 24 members out of which 21 signed the petition.

“I am the head in this assembly, made up of 24 members. However, any decision taken is what I follow.

“21 out of 24 signed and as a servant of the other 23 members, I do not have much to say,” he said.

According to him, if there is ever going to be any resolution of the issue, it will be determined by the majority of the members of the house and not him alone.

Earlier, Apologun, the Provisional President of the group, appealed for caution so that the legislature would not be perceived as being an instrument of political witch-hunt against the deputy governor.

He added that the church was seeking an amicable resolution to the disagreement between the deputy governor and Governor Godwin Obaseki in the interest of peace.