Edo Assembly Crisis Worsens As Members Formally Impeach, Suspend Agbebaku

The crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly took a fresh turn on Monday as members formally impeached the immediate past Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku.

The lawmakers also suspended Agbebaku indefinitely eight days after the initial controversy began.

Naija News recalls that last week, the lawmaker representing Akoko Edo Constituency I, Yekini Idiaye, emerged as the new Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.

Idiaye’s emergence followed the resignation of the former speaker, Blessing Agbebaku.

Agbebaku resigned from office amid growing tension within the legislature and moves by some lawmakers to impeach him.

During Monday’s plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Osamwonye Atu, he announced the receipt of Agbebaku’s resignation letter.

Following the announcement, the member representing Esan South East Constituency. Sunday Ojiezele nominated Idiaye for the position of Speaker. The member representing Owan East Constituency, Eric Okaka, seconded the nomination.

On Monday, the House also removed two other principal officers from their roles. Jonathan Ibhamawu was removed as the Majority Leader, while Addeh Emankhu Isibor was sacked as Deputy Majority Leader.

Ibhamawu, representing Esan West Constituency, was replaced by Ojiezele Osezua Sunday, who represents Esan South-East Constituency, while Addeh Isibor, representing Esan North-East 1, was replaced by Inegbeboh Ojie Eugene, from Igueben constituency.

According to the new Speaker, Yekini Idaiye, 17 members of the House endorsed and signed the impeachment.

Idaiye added that the impeachment was formally presented by the Majority Leader during last Monday’s plenary, noting that the indefinite resignation has been changed to impeachment because Abgebaku’s resignation notice has not been officially presented and documented days after he was suspended.

The Speaker maintained that Agbebaku was impeached and did not resign from office.

The majority leader, Sunny Ojiezele, moved the motion for formal impeachment, and the member representing Etsako Central, Ahmed Waziri, seconded it.

The Speaker, while stating that Agbebaku remains suspended, directed him to return all government property in his possession.

He further threatened to engage security agencies if the former Speaker failed to comply with the directive or respond to the House.