By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY – FORMER Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon Philip Shaibu, on Friday marked one year of the nullification of his impeachment and reinstatement as the deputy governor of the state by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Shaibu, who is now the Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), said his impeachment, which in the eyes of the law never happened, was politically motivated and that it was a dark period in the political history of the state.
A statement by his S. A. Media of the DG/CEO, NIS, Ben Ogbemudia quoted Shaibu as stating this in Benin City when he addressed journalists, saying the period was “one of the darkest chapters in Edo’s democratic journey.”
Shaibu said his impeachment was allegedly engineered by the former governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki.
He said “It wasn’t just about removing me, it was about subverting our institutions and betraying the will of the people.
“That judgment was a beacon of hope. It proved that democracy, though fragile, can prevail when truth and justice are upheld,” he said.
Recalling the events of 2024, Shaibu lamented the Legislature’s role, accusing it of being reduced to a “rubber stamp” for personal interests.
“The instrument of impeachment was bastardized, not used for accountability but for vendetta. The will of the people was hijacked by a clique.
“People said to me, ‘If they can do this to you, what hope do we have?’ That was the deepest wound of all.
“Justice may be delayed, but it can never be permanently denied,” he said, adding that the judiciary proved itself again to be the last hope of the common man.
Shaibu used the occasion to call on Nigerians, politicians, civil servants, and citizens alike to remain vigilant in defending democratic values. “Democracy only thrives when no one is above the law, and when power is treated as a public trust, not a personal entitlement.”
He thanked his legal team, supporters, and family for standing by him. He also had a final word for those behind his impeachment: “No one is bigger than the law. The will of the people cannot be silenced.”
Shaibu closed with a renewed commitment to public service and democratic ideals.
“Let’s build institutions, not empires. Let’s lead with humility, not hubris. The dream of a better Edo, and a better Nigeria, is still alive.”
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