One year after Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja reinstated Comrade Philip Shaibu as deputy governor of Edo State, overturning what he called an illegal impeachment attempt by the State House of Assembly, Shaibu has described it as the darkest chapter of democracy.
Shaibu, now the director-general of the National Institute for Sports, in an interview with journalists in Benin, described his removal as a politically-motivated powerplay, allegedly engineered by Governor Godwin Obaseki. “It wasn’t just about removing me. It was about subverting our institutions and betraying the will of the people,” he said.
He praised the judiciary for standing firm. “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 bastardised, not used for accountability but for vendetta. The will of the people was hijacked by a clique.”
He expressed personal pain at seeing public faith in democracy shaken. “People said to me, ‘If they can do this to you, what hope do we have?’ That was the deepest wound of all,” he said.
Despite the turmoil, Shaibu said the reinstatement marked a victory not just for him, but for democracy itself.
“Justice may be delayed but it can never be permanently denied,” he said, adding that the judiciary proved itself once again to be the last hope of the common man.
Shaibu used the occasion to call on Nigerians, politicians, civil servants and the entire citizenry 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 stated.
He thanked his legal team, supporters and family for standing by him. To those behind his impeachment, he said,“No one is bigger than the law. The will of the people cannot be silenced.”
Shaibu ended it with a renewed commitment to public service and democratic ideals.
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