As courts in the country resumed sitting after the Organized Labour strike, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria adjourned the hearing in a suit instituted by the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Phillip Shaibu, against Governor Godwin Obaseki and others till June 28, 2024. The suit seeks to declare Shaibu’s impeachment as unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional.
The adjournment was necessitated by the absence of some defendants in court. During Wednesday’s proceedings, Shaibu’s counsel, Ayotunde Ogunleye, informed the court that the matter was initially slated for Monday, June 3, but the strike affected the date. He also drew the attention of Justice Omotoso to an earlier order requiring all parties to file and exchange their processes promptly, based on the abridgement of time and accelerated hearing granted for the suit.
Given that some defendants were neither present nor represented by legal practitioners, Ogunleye sought a short adjournment. Following the agreement of the lawyers, Justice Omotoso fixed June 28, 2024, for the hearing of the suit.
The judge warned that he would not tolerate any further delays from any party in the hearing of the matter, adding that any objections against the suit must be addressed alongside the substantive matter.
