In a remarkable show of solidarity, hundreds of residents from the Edo North Senatorial District took to the streets on Thursday to voice their opposition against the proposed impeachment of the state's Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
As reported by Prime 9ja Online, the protesters, who identified themselves as members of the Peace Movement, along with some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo North, assembled at Jattu, in Etsako West Local Government in the early hours of Thursday.
The crowd, comprising men, women, and youths, carried placards with various messages such as 'No to impeachment', 'We want peace in Edo State', 'Return the N500 million bribe to Obaseki', and 'Shaibu is our Next Governor, no going back'.
The protesters expressed their disapproval of the impeachment proceedings initiated by the Edo State House of Assembly. They appealed to the lawmakers to refrain from any move to impeach the deputy governor, arguing that such a move would disrupt the peace of the state.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Aminu Umosor, Gafata Emmanuel, and Haija Anetu Momodu declared their intention to rally the people of the state and the PDP to oppose the party if the House proceeds with the impeachment. They said, “This is to show all Edo people that we stand by Philip Shaibu and the mandate we gave to him. If Governor Obaseki and the House of Assembly are ready for dialogue and true reconciliation, they should come with clean hands and not impeachment notice.”
The protesters warned the legislators against the impeachment and pledged to continue their protest until Governor Obaseki and the lawmakers choose the path of peace.
Meanwhile, Musa Ebomhiana, the Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, stated that efforts were underway to resolve the matter. He assured, “The PDP as a party has stepped in as a family to resolve the matter. The umbrella is big enough to accommodate everyone.”