The Court dismisses the cause N50bn of Philip Shaibu against Obaseki, others

The High Federal Court of Abuja, on Monday, rejected a cause for the application of the fundamental rights of N50 billion presented by Philip Shaibu, former deputy governor of the Edo State, against the former governor Godwin Obaseki and others.
Judge Peter Lifu, in a sentence, rejected the case following a question to withdraw the cause of Anita Oteh, who appeared for Shaibu.
After resuming the hearing on the matter, Oteh informed the court that the parties in the case had resolved their differences, therefore the need to withdraw the case.
However, Aliyu Abdulkadir, who represented the prosecutor General of the Federation (AGF), the fourth accused in the case, told the Court that he was not aware of the agreement.
According to him, if there is any agreement, we should be informed in order to be well guided.
“However, we are not against the request for withdrawal and we will not ask for a cost, but I will make a simple request,” he said.
Abdulkadir then asked the court to reject the case.
Oteh did not agree with the request for Abdulkadir, exhorting the court to grant their application for the withdrawal of the case.
Judge Lifu, in his sentence, believed that, having united issues on the matter, the right thing was to archive the case.
“In consideration of the fact that the issues were united in this matter, this cause has been fired in its entirety,” he said.
Shaibu, in the act of convocation, had sued the governor of the state of Edo; General Inspector (PG) of the police; Director, Department of State Services (DSS), AGF and ADO DEPARTRATOR OF THE ADO respectively as 1st to the 5th accused.
In the case marked with FHC/Abj/CS/914/2024 dated 4 July 2024, but presented on July 19, 2024 by his lawyer, Egwuaba Reuben, Shaibu searched for the right importance.
The former governor of Deputy asked for an order of the court that assigned him the sum of N50 billion for aggravated and exemplary damages against the defendants to be paid jointly for the illegal and unconstitutional violation of his fundamental rights.
He also sought an perpetual injunction order, preventing the defendants and their agents from arresting him further or detained, repeating or continuing any act or further acts in violation of his fundamental rights on issues that bordered or have connected to the facts of the case without the leave of the Court.
The actor equally sought the sum of N100 million as a cost for the presentation of the cause.
In his declaration of a oath witness filed alone, Shaibu warned that he was elected deputy governor of Edo and his mandate had to end on 11 November 2024
However, he said that at the instigation of Obaseki and with the help of the Ig, “I was illegally removed from the office before the expiry of my mandate which same question is subject to litigation pending this Court”.
He also said that after discovering that he had been removed as deputy governor, the IG collected all his security staff who should have protected his life until the expiry of his mandate in office.
Shaibu also said that his attention was attracted by a publication on July 2, 2024, in which the Edo government issued a notice that directed the recovery of 22 official government vehicles in custody, among others.
Therefore, he asked the Court to declare that the attempt by the 1st defendant (Obaseki) to instigate the 2nd to the 5th accused to be arrested was illegal and was equivalent to an attempt to violate his fundamental rights guaranteed pursuant to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), among other compensation.
No lawyer appeared for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th accused on Monday.
Judge James Omotosho of a twin court had, on July 17, 2024, restored Shaibu as deputy governor, three months after the house of the Edo assembly had accused him.
The judge Omotosho believed that the impeachment by the chamber was illegal.