The recent impeachment of Phillip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State, has become a significant event as he is now the 17th deputy governor to face impeachment since Nigeria’s return to civil rule in 1999.
The development has sparked discussions among experts about the need for stronger constitutional support for deputy governors to uphold the integrity of their offices and democracy in general.
Shaibu’s impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly was due to allegations of perjury and revealing government secrets, which arose from his ongoing dispute with Governor Godwin Obaseki regarding his succession ambitions.
The appointment of Omobayo Godwin, a 38-year-old, as his replacement implies that the situation is far from over, considering Shaibu’s legal challenge against the impeachment and the upcoming gubernatorial election on September 21, which is likely to intensify political maneuvering.
However, Shaibu’s case is not unique, as 16 other deputy governors from various geopolitical zones have faced impeachment since 1999. Observers have pointed out that disagreements with their superiors or alleged acts of insubordination have often been catalysts for these impeachments.
This underscores the urgency for clearer delineation of the roles of deputy governors in the constitution and the revision of impeachment procedures.
Among the deputy governors who have been impeached within this period are notable figures such as Femi Pedro (Lagos), Iyiola Omisore (Osun), Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele (Lagos), Chris Ekpenyong (Akwa Ibom), Abiodun Aluko (Ekiti), Biodun Olujinmi (Ekiti), the late Garba Gadi (Bauchi), and Peremobowei Elebi (Bayelsa). These cases collectively highlight the need for systemic reforms to ensure the stability and effectiveness of deputy governorships in Nigeria’s democratic framework.
Additionally, Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba), Jude Agbaso (Imo), Sunday Onyebuchi (Enugu), Ali Olanusi (Ondo), Eze Madumere (Imo), Simon Achuba (Kogi), Rauf Olaniyan (Oyo), and Mahdi Aliyu Gusau (Zamfara) have also been impeached.
Among these, only the late Garba Gadi (Bauchi), Peremobowei Elebi (Bayelsa), Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba), Sunday Onyebuchi (Enugu), Ali Olanusi (Ondo), Jude Agbaso (Imo), Eze Madumere (Imo), Simon Achuba (Kogi), and Mahdi Aliyu Gusau (Zamfara) have successfully obtained court orders setting aside their impeachments.
Unfortunately, none of the removed deputy governors could go back to his or her office for some reasons. For instance, while Femi Pedro (Lagos) was later pardoned by the Lagos State House of Assembly, Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, in Lagos also insisted she resigned and was not impeached, but the Assembly maintained that she was impeached.
Biodun Olujinmi (Ekiti) contested her impeachment alongside her principal, Ayo Fayose, and briefly assumed the position of acting governor in Fayose’s absence before the federal government declared a state of emergency in the state and appointed a sole administrator. Aside from these, many deputy governors survived impeachment by a whisker after falling out with their principals.
The incumbent governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was on the verge of being impeached during the health crisis of his late principal, Rotimi Akeredolu, which snowballed into a serious political crisis in the state.
