Activities in parts of Edo North particularly Auchi the headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area were grounded for hours on Sunday as hundreds of supporters, grassroots mobilizers, lovers of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, trooped to the streets to peacefully protest the plan by members of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) to impeach him.

They said the allegations against Shaibu were not only frivolous but a political vendetta.

Recall that the Edo State House of Assembly last week began an impeachment move against Shaibu, accusing him of constitutional infractions.

His supporters believe that he is being persecuted because he is interested to succeed his boss in office, Gov Godwin Obaseki.

Shaibu emerged as the governorship candidate in a parallel primary election held on February 22, 2024.

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The peaceful protesters under the aegis of Edo North PDP Rescue Movement, (ENREM) first converged at the popular Jattu Junction in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West local government with placards.

They later marched round the major streets in Etsako West LGA before re-converging at the Jattu Junction where they addressed the press.

The protesters carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “We say no to.impeachment of Philip Shaibu” ‘We say no to the prosecution of Philip Shaibu”, “Shaibu should be rewarded for his loyalty, not persecution” “The NWC of the PDP is suspicious , speak out now”, “Give peace a chance “

The protesters advised the Edo State House of Assembly to focus on providing good legislative governance for Edo people which they represent, rather than engaging in “fruitless ventures of impeachment that brings no food to the table of hungary Edo people” who they said suffer the brunt of bad governance and poor representation in the State.

READ ALSO: CRPP Warns Obaseki Against Impeachment Move On Shaibu

They also called on the Speaker of the State House Assembly, Rt. Hon Blessing Agbebaku to “listen to the voice of reason rather than work against the interest of Afemai, his own people who elected him to represent their interest.”

Leader of the protesters, Festus Owu while addressing the media accused those behind the Impeachment move as those who in the past benefited from the good gesture and kindness of Shaibu.

He condemned the alleged roles of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in the said impeachment, reminding him of the inalienable and fundamental rights of Shaibu to express his desire to be elected governor of the State.

He said: “Any party that wants to win election must believe in coherence, must believe in resolving the problem facing them and not exacerbate it. Every man has the right to contest an election, Philip Shaibu has expressed his willingness to contest to be Edo State Governor and anyone stopping it is deliberately returning the State to the era of godfatherism.

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“We hereby appeal to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, all the PDP members of the House to urgently withdraw and rescind the impeachment notice issued by the house on His Excellency, Deputy Governor of Edo state for the sake of peace, unity, progress of the party in the pre governorship election time.

“We appeal to His Excellency the governor of Edo State Mr. Godwin Obaseki to use his good office to prevail on the Speaker and the PDP of EDHA to urgently back track on the impeachment move against the Deputy Governor.

“That it should be on record that fall out of the recent governorship primaries in the state should be resolved with equity, justice and fairplay. This is the only panacea for peace and progress in the party inEdo state.

“That the governorship election is very crucial in the state, we therefore appeal to all involved to desist and bury their differences and forge a common front to enable a humiliation of the opposition in the upcoming gubernatorial election in Edo state.

“That the withdrawal of the impeachment notice on the Deputy Governor shall go a long way to heal the wounds of the divisiones and exclusion in the party, galvanizing grass root support for our eventual victory at the upcoming polls”.