Edo Assembly crisis: Speaker, Majority Leader forced to resign, suspended

Why we removed Agbebaku, says new speaker, Yekini Idaiye

Gov Okpebholo urges Speaker Idaiye to promote unity, transparency

By Titus Akhigbe, Benin with agency reports

The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, and the Majority Leader, Jonathan Ibhamawu, have been forced to resign following alleged intense pressure from Government House.

Both lawmakers were also suspended indefinitely during a brief plenary session on Monday that lasted less than 20 minutes.

Sources said Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, bowed to pressure after aggrieved lawmakers, with full support by Governor Monday Okpebholo – led government initiated an impeachment plot against him.

To avoid a full-blown legislative crisis, the embattled Speaker opted for a “soft-landing” by resigning his position.

Ibhamawu, who represents Esan West Constituency, was also removed and suspended alongside him.

The hurriedly held plenary was presided  over by the Deputy speaker, Hon. Osawonyi Atu (Orhionwon East Constituency) and Hon. Yekini Idaiye (Akoko-Edo I Constituency), was subsequently sworn in as the new Speaker.

The House also elected new principal officers, namely: Ojiezele Osezua Sunday (Esan South-East Constituency), Majority Leader; Inegbeboh Ojie Eugene (Esan North-East I) Deputy Majority Leader; Natasha Osawaru Irobosa, (Egor Constituency, NDC) Minority Leader;

The sudden leadership change has effectively reconfigured the power structure of the 8th Edo State House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, tThe newly elected Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Yekini Idiaye, has said his predecessor, Blessing Agbebaku, was removed by lawmakers over alleged poor leadership and corruption.

Idiaye, who represents Akoko-Edo Constituency I and is a third-term lawmaker, emerged as Speaker on Monday following Agbebaku’s resignation amid moves by lawmakers to impeach him.

Addressing journalists after Monday’s plenary, Idiaye accused Agbebaku of poor leadership, alleging that his tenure was characterised by corruption and prolonged adjournments.

He said: “The House was inaugurated on the 16th of June, 2023 under the leadership of Agbebaku, and since then we have been passing through a lot of challenges, corruption here and there, adjournment here and there, sometimes for 30 days without a cause. We are not happy with his leadership style. His leadership is poor, and it has been drawing the work of the government backwards.”

Idiaye added: “That is why we removed him. We must encourage our performing governor. He is doing well, anything that will derail or stop our performing governor, we must stop it. That is why we changed him. I can assure all of you that we will do everything possible to support Governor Monday Okpebholo to move this state forward.”

In another development, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has urged the new Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr Yekini Idaiye, to promote unity, transparency and teamwork.

Okpebholo made the call on Monday when he received Idaiye and 13 other lawmakers at the Government House in Benin, urging them to set aside personal differences and serve Edo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Idaiye, representing Akoko-Edo Constituency 1,  emerged as the new speaker,  following the resignation of the former speaker, Blessing Agbebaku,  over allegations of inflating prices of Lexus 570 Jeeps and Hilux vehicles bought for the assembly.

The governor said political office is temporary and should therefore, be handled with humility, responsibility and a strong commitment to serving the people effectively.

”We must put arrogance aside to serve our people better because today,cwe are here and tomorrow we don’t know where we will be, ” the governor said.

Okpebholo also urged the new leadership to promote transparency, dialogue and inclusiveness, while advising lawmakers to resolve disagreements within the assembly rather than taking them to social media.

“It’s a new leadership. I don’t know what happened, whatever must have happened in the house is for the house, and it remains there.

“I was also a parliamentarian, and I know that we respect one another,” he said.

The governor emphasised the importance of mutual respect among lawmakers in the discharge of their duties.

He said disagreements should be handled internally, adding that the emergence of a new leadership provided an opportunity for members to work together and strengthen the assembly.

Okpebholo further urged Idaiye to understand the responsibility attached to his office and ensure that every member of the assembly was carried along in legislative affairs.

“It is not just to be a leader but a responsible leader. You are not just assuming a new office, to be just an ordinary speaker.

“You should know that you are now carrying the shoulders of many people and you have to be transparent with your colleagues, you have to carry everybody along,” he said.

The governor warned that failure to involve members in the affairs of the house could create fresh divisions, urging the leadership to build consensus through dialogue and inclusiveness.

Okpebholo identified teamwork as essential to effective legislative leadership and encouraged lawmakers to raise concerns constructively, while working together to maintain peace within the assembly.

He said he wanted the assembly to remain peaceful, noting that the house had operated without a major crisis for about two years under the existing arrangement.

The governor also encouraged lawmakers, who might not return after the elections to remain optimistic, assuring them that his administration would continue cooperating with them.

Idaiye said the new legislative leadership visited the governor to formally introduce itself and assure him of the assembly’s support for his administration.

He assured the governor that the assembly would provide the support needed to advance the state through effective legislation and constructive partnership with the executive.