Justice James Kolawole Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the request of Phillip Shuaib, the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, to include the Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly in his lawsuit challenging his impeachment.

On Wednesday, the court also agreed to Shuaib’s request to add his successor as a defendant in the case.

In his ruling, Justice Omotoso sided with Shuaib’s lawyer, Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, stating that both the Speaker and the new Deputy Governor are essential parties in the lawsuit. The judge noted that under Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, the Speaker’s role is crucial in the impeachment process. Therefore, the Speaker must be involved in the legal proceedings to ensure any court orders are binding.

Justice Omotoso dismissed the objections raised by the Speaker and the Deputy Governor, labeling them as frivolous and without merit. He then invoked Order 17 Rule 1 of the Federal High Court to order the inclusion of the Speaker and the Deputy Governor in the suit.

The court also permitted Shuaib to amend his originating summons to reflect the addition of the Speaker and the Deputy Governor as the 9th and 10th defendants in the case.

The hearing for the case is scheduled for June 3.