How Edo Assembly Speaker was impeached by 19 House members

Honourable Justin Okonoboh

Mixed feelings filled the air at the Edo State House of Assembly, as the Speaker of the House, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, was impeached after an impeachment notice signed by 16, out of the 24-member assembly.

Consequently, the former principal officer of the House representing Akoko Edo I, Mr. Kabiru Adjoto, was elected as the new Speaker.

Three other members were said to have appended their signatures to increase the number to 19, PUNCH reported.

The new Speaker of the House disclosed that Okonoboh along with his deputy, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie; and the former Majority Leader, Mr. Foly Ogedengbe, had been suspended for three months.

However, the impeachment has been described as illegal by Ogedengbe. The suspended lawmaker added that the House did not form a quorum.

The House had just reconvened after 26 days of break for oversight functions when the incident occurred, and upon resumption of plenary, Emmanuel Agbaje, read a letter of a vote of no confidence on the floor of the House.

Representing Etsako West II, Honourable Sylvanus Eruaga, was reported to have requested that Okonoboh vacates the seat, which caused a conflict among some of the lawmakers in the chambers, PUNCH stated.

Okonoboh has hence been reported to have vacated the seat after much pressure, leaving Eruaga to sit as Speaker pro tempore.

Another member of the House, Magnus Igbas, made efforts to thwart the removal of Okonoboh, he was however seriously resited and castigated by his colleagues.

Naija News gathered that upon Eruaga standing in temporarily as Okonoboh left the exalted seat,  he nominated Adjoto to be the Speaker, after which the former principal was elected as the new Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Assembly workers were locked out during theimpeachment process.

Security operatives were heavily deployed to the premises to prevent a further breakdown of law and order.