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Shaibu Breaks Silence On Impeachment Saga

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The office of the Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, has denied that an impeachment notice was served on the deputy governor.

Last Wednesday, the House of Assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against Shaibu, accusing him of perjury and leaking of government’s secrets.

The impeachment notice is believed to be the latest development in the rift between Shaibu and his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki.

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There had been an uneasy calm between the deputy governor and his principal since last year when Shaibu declared his interest to join this year’s Edo governorship race.

READ ALSO: Edo Guber: Shaibu Drags Ighodalo, PDP, Others to Court, Wants Primary Nullified

However, the Assembly on Monday directed that the impeachment notice be published in national dailies (by substitution) as it has become to serve the deputy governor the letter in person.

In a letter dated March 12 to the House of Assembly on the issue, the personal assistant to the deputy governor, Charles Olubayo, also chided the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, for saying that the deputy governor refused to acknowledge the impeachment notice.

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The letter reads, “The Office of the Deputy Governor, Edo State, wishes to draw your attention to the inaccuracies and misleading information that emanated from the plenary session of Monday, March 11, 2024, wherein Mr. Speaker directed that the impeachment notice be served on the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, through newspaper publications, The Nigeria Observer and other national dailies, ‘sequel to the refusal of the Deputy Governor to acknowledge the impeachment notice.’

“Mr. Speaker was quoted to have also stated at the said plenary that ‘the action became necessary because the Deputy Governor refused to acknowledge an earlier impeachment notice sent to him through the Clerk of the House.’

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“We wish to state categorically that no impeachment notice was ever served on the deputy governor, let alone that he refused to acknowledge it.

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“The deputy governor has been travelling out of Benin to Abuja since March 3, 2024, and has not returned to Benin since that date.

“The Clerk never saw the deputy governor whether in the office, at home or anywhere for that matter since the said date; hence, I was surprised that the House resolved to publish the impeachment notice in the Observer and other national dailies because ‘the Deputy Governor refused to acknowledge the earlier impeachment notice sent to him through the Clerk of the House.’

“One therefore wonders where the Clerk or his appointee served him the impeachment notice, but he refused to acknowledge it.

“Neither the Clerk nor any person sent impeachment notice to the deputy governor, which he refused to acknowledge.

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“It is, therefore, our prayer that Mr. Speaker corrects the impression created in the public as the outcome of Monday’s plenary to avoid misrepresentation in this all-important matter.”

 

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PHOTOS/VIDEO: Prince Harry, Meghan Visit Sanwo-Olu

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived at the Lagos House Marina, on a courtesy visit to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday.

The couple were received by Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and others at the State House, Marina.

This Visit is mainly to promote the Invictus Games, founded in 2014 by Prince Harry.

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READ ALSO: Duchess Of Sussex Gets Nigerian Name, Excited About Her Heritage

The Invictus Games is aimed at helping currently serving members of the Military as well as veterans in overcoming their physical or mental health illness or injury, which eventually helps them develop a sense of belonging and increased self-esteem.

The British Royal couple arrived in Lagos on Sunday in what is the last lap of their three-day visit to Nigeria.

The couple, who have been in the country since Friday, have earlier attended several events in Abuja and Kaduna.

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Addressing the press while welcoming the couple at the State House, Marina, Sanwo-Olu hailed Prince Harry and Meghan for the work they are doing with Nigeria’s military men, especially on issues around mental health.

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Court Convicts Mother Of 5 For Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

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A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja has found guilty and convicted one Mrs. Ramat Mercy Mba, a mother of five children guilty of forging the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, the late Abba Kyari.

The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad however deferred the sentencing of the convict till Thursday, 16th of May, 2024 but directed that she should be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned Mba in June, 2022 on a 5-count charge bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and Sections 320 (b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

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One of the counts read: “THAT you RAMAT MERCY MBA (F) sometimes in the month of October, 2019 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently induce one Mr. Ismail Adewole Oladipupo, an unsuspecting job seeker and collected the sum of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only N700,000.00 from him which sum was paid into your private account under the guise of securing employment for him at the National Space Research and Development Agency.

“(NASDRA), AND you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(b) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria.”

In the course of the trial, ICPC’s Prosecutor, Mr. Hamza Sani, Esq. led evidence before the court on how the convict dishonestly induced her victims in the guise of securing employment for them with government agencies like Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

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READ ALSO: Nigerian Army Pulls Out 29 Retired Generals

Furthermore, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged a letterhead paper of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Muhammad Buhari, Abba Kyari and his signature.

The letter, addressed to the Chairman of ICPC was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the Commission.

However, the late Chief of Staff, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as exhibit distanced himself or his office for authorising the letter.

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In his judgement, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that borders on cheating and forgery while she was discharged on count 4 that bordered on felony.

 

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Duchess Of Sussex Gets Nigerian Name, Excited About Her Heritage

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Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has expressed excitement after finding out through a genealogy test about her Nigerian heritage.

The Duchess said it’s been “humbling” to find out that she is partly a Nigerian as she met with women in in Abuja.

Meghan, on her second day in Nigeria, where she is visiting for the first time with Prince Harry to promote mental health for wounded soldiers and young girls, acknowledged Nigeria as her country.

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She said, “It’s been eye-opening to be able to know more about my heritage.”

“Never in a million years would I understand it as much as I do now. And what has been echoed so much in the past day is, ’Oh, we are not so surprised when we found out you are Nigerian,” she said an the event on women in leadership which had Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mo Abudu, amongst several other dignitaries.

“It is a compliment to you because what they define as a Nigerian woman is brave, resilient, courageous, beautiful,” Meghan told the audience.

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READ ALSO: Moment Chief Defense Staff Hosts Prince Harry, Meghan Markle In Reception [VIDEO/PHOTOS]

Her first reaction after finding out was to tell her mother, she said at the event in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. “Being African American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage and background … and it was exciting for both of us,” she said.

Mo Abudu, the anchor and chief executive of EbonyLife media group, then asked the audience to suggest a Nigerian name for Meghan.

“Ifeoma,” someone shouted from the excited crowd, a name from Nigeria’s Igbo tribe which means ‘a treasured thing.’ “Omowale” another suggested, from the Yoruba tribe, which means ‘the child has come home.’

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