Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu has instituted a N50billion defamation and contempt of court suit against the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, and Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser on Media Project.
Shaibu disclosed this to newsmen while reacting to his reinstatement by the Federal High Court, Abuja, saying that the court judgement that reinstated him was declarative and must be abided by.
He added that the judgement perpetually restrained the State Government and its agents from preventing him from performing his duty as the only Deputy Governor of the State.
He said, the judgement added that the position of Deputy Governor by the relevant Sections of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was never vacant.
Said Shaibu, “I am not surprised that Nehikhare and Osagie were insisting that I remain impeached. They insisted so because they don’t read and study the court judgement before sending out their responses, which is their mode of operation.
“The judgement reinstating me was declarative and has to be carried out before an appeal over the matter could be heard, while the stay of judgement execution filed by the State cannot see the light of the day until the judgement is executed.
“I have already instituted a N50 billion suit against the Governor, Nehikhare and Osagie for defamation. They will be served next week”.
Shaibu, however, alleged that the gun attack against him was an assassination attempt orchestrated by the Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki.
He denied the claim that he planned the attack that took the life of Inspector Akor Onuh at the exit of Benin Airport.
He said, “I was taken aback by the attack. In the last one year, I have refused to call for a protest to avoid confrontation with the State Government and their agents.
“I can tell you that Thursday’s attack was planned by the State Governor to assassinate me. The Governor vowed to destroy me when I remained resolute to vie for the position of Governor.
“They said I was the one who planned the attack but I came in peacefully from Abuja to the State capital. Why were the armed thugs laying ambush for me? Were they expecting a visitor?”
