Edo Assembly: Impeaches Blessing Agbebaku, Elects New Speaker

• The Edo State House of Assembly formally impeached its suspended Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, on Monday.
• Lawmaker Yekini Idaiye, representing Akoko-Edo 1, was subsequently elected as the new Speaker.
• The impeachment motion was moved by Majority Leader Sunny Ojiezele and seconded by Ahmed Waziri.
• Agbebaku had previously resigned on Monday, August 17, 2026, but his resignation was converted to impeachment due to lack of official documentation.
• The former Speaker was directed to return all government property, with a warning that security agencies would be involved if he failed to comply.

The Edo State House of Assembly officially removed its suspended Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, from office on Monday, following a formal impeachment process.

The Edo State House of Assembly officially removed its suspended Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, from office on Monday, following a formal impeachment process. This decisive action by the legislative body culminates a period of internal dispute, leading to a change in its top leadership. Agbebaku, who represented Owan West Constituency 1, had previously held the esteemed position of Speaker within the assembly.

Immediately following the impeachment, Yekini Idaiye, the lawmaker representing Akoko-Edo 1, was elected to assume the role of the new Speaker. The assembly's new leadership promptly issued a directive to the former Speaker, instructing him to return all government property currently in his possession. This mandate was accompanied by a stern warning that security agencies would be involved if Agbebaku failed to comply with the House's order.

The formal impeachment motion was initiated by Sunny Ojiezele, the Majority Leader of the House, and subsequently received a second from Ahmed Waziri, the member representing Etsako Central. This procedural step solidified the assembly's intent to formally remove Agbebaku. The current Speaker, Yekini Idaiye, explicitly clarified that Agbebaku's departure was an impeachment, not a resignation, emphasizing the official nature of the proceedings.

This development unfolded eight days after an initial controversy began to surface within the assembly. The impeachment notice itself was reportedly signed by 17 members of the House, indicating broad support for the leadership change. The Majority Leader formally presented the impeachment during a plenary session held last Monday, underscoring the structured approach taken by the assembly.

A key aspect of this leadership transition involved the House's decision to convert Agbebaku’s earlier resignation into a formal impeachment. Agbebaku had, in fact, tendered his resignation from the Speaker's position on Monday, August 17, 2026. However, the assembly determined that his resignation notice had not been officially presented and documented in the days following his suspension, leading to the decision to proceed with impeachment instead.

This conversion from an indefinite suspension and an unformalized resignation to a full impeachment highlights the assembly's adherence to specific protocols for leadership changes. The Speaker's insistence on the return of government property further reinforces the finality and official recognition of Agbebaku's removal from office, signaling a clear end to his tenure as Speaker.

The impeachment of Blessing Agbebaku and the subsequent election of Yekini Idaiye mark a significant moment for the Edo State House of Assembly, reflecting a firm stance on internal governance and procedural integrity. This event underscores the assembly's capacity to address leadership challenges through formal legislative processes, even when faced with prior resignation attempts.

The clear communication from the new Speaker regarding the nature of Agbebaku's exit—as an impeachment rather than a resignation—serves to establish a definitive record of the leadership transition. Such actions are crucial for maintaining stability and public trust in the legislative body, ensuring that all changes in power are conducted transparently and according to established rules.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH Online