According to investigations conducted by The Nation, no fewer than 17 Deputy Governors have been removed from office in the previous 24 years.
After Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, Phillip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, was fired, making him the 17th person to be dismissed from office.
Shaibu had to fight a protracted war to stay afloat in Edo’s political landscape in addition to a protracted journey towards independence.
A number of Deputy Governors have been impeached over the years for political reasons that don’t quite add up to serious misbehavior.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Constitution, Section 188, allows for the impeachment of a governor or deputy governor to remove them from office.
A written accusation of serious misbehavior is made against the accused, who is entitled to a self-defense. He is anticipated to be spared if his defense is successful; if not, he will be removed from office.
The aforementioned section 188 provides a detailed explanation of the stages and procedures needed to complete the process.
The following Deputy Governors have been removed from office since 1999:
Femi Pedro (Lagos)
Iyiola Omisore (Osun)
Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele (Lagos)
Chris Ekpenyong (Akwa Ibom)
Abiodun Aluko (Ekiti)
Biodun Olujinmi (Ekiti)
Late Garba Gadi (Bauchi)
Peremobowei Elebi (Bayelsa)
Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba)
Jude Agbaso (Imo)
Sunday Onyebuchi (Enugu)
Ali Olanusi (Ondo)
Eze Madumere (Imo)
Simon Achuba (Kogi)
Rauf Olaniyan (Oyo)
Mahdi Aliyu Gusau (Zamfara)
Philip Shaibu (Edo)
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.