Thousands of indigenes and residents of Edo North Senatorial District yesterday peacefully protested against plot to impeach of Edo State Deputy Governor Phillip Shuaibu. The protesters asked Governor Godwin Obaseki to give peace a chance.
The demonstrators, who chanted anti-Obaseki songs, carried placards with inscriptions such as: “No to impeachment of Edo deputy governor”, “Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding”, “Give peace a chance” and “We choose peace against impeachment.”
Others included: “Edo North people are saying no to impeachment”, “Drop impeachment move against your deputy”, “We are saying no to impeachment of Deputy Governor” and “Edo people reject impeachment of the Deputy Governor”.
The protesters, who were mostly PDP members, supporters, grassroots’ mobilisers, lovers and admirers of Edo deputy governor, trooped to the streets to protest the allegations against him, which they considered as not only frivolous, but also a political vendetta.
The protesting women, men and youths, under the aegis of Edo North PDP Rescue Movement (ENREM), first converged on the popular Jattu junction in Etsako West Local Government. They later marched on major streets of the communities.
The leader of the protesters, Festus Owu, urged Edo lawmakers to focus on providing good legislation for residents and indigenes, instead of engaging in the fruitless venture of impeachment that would bring no food to the table of hungry citizens.
The Parish Priest of St. Francis Catholic Church, Benin, Rev. Fr. Andrew Obinyan, yesterday appealed to Obaseki over the impeachment notice served on Shaibu.
In a statement in Benin, Fr. Obinyan appealed to the governor to leave his deputy alone to deal with his issues and resolve them without initiating impeachment.
The priest also pleaded with Obaseki to prevail on the House of Assembly to discontinue the impeachment