The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from his position as head of the state legislature.
Agbebaku stepped down on Monday morning following reports that 18 out of the 24 members of the Assembly had signed an impeachment notice against him as of Sunday night. Under the House rules, a two-thirds majority, which translates to 16 lawmakers, is required to remove a Speaker from office.
His resignation was confirmed by his media aide, Ivy Ebojele, who stated that more details on the development would be communicated in due course to the public and stakeholders in the state.
DailyVista247 gathered that the development has led to a major change in the leadership of the Assembly. Hon. Yekini Idiaye, the lawmaker representing Akoko-Edo Constituency I, has been elected as the new Speaker of the House to steer the affairs of the legislature.
Idiaye is a three-term member of the state legislature with considerable experience in legislative matters and parliamentary procedures. While the Deputy Speaker would normally be expected to take over in such a situation, the Assembly was said to have considered the existing zoning arrangement in the state before taking a final decision on the new leadership.
Under the arrangement, when the governor comes from the Central Senatorial District, the position of Speaker is zoned to the Edo North Senatorial District. Idiaye, as the most senior lawmaker from that zone, was selected to lead the House based on ranking and geographical balance to ensure fairness.
Speaking to journalists shortly after plenary, the new Speaker explained the reason for the leadership change. He stated that the House, which was inaugurated on June 16, 2023, under Agbebaku, had faced several challenges, including frequent adjournments and delays in legislative activities that affected its productivity.
Idiaye expressed dissatisfaction with the previous leadership style, describing it as ineffective and detrimental to legislative activities and the overall performance of the Assembly. He said the decision was taken to ensure the House effectively supports the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo and advances the development of the state in line with democratic principles.
According to him, the change in leadership was necessary to improve the efficiency of the Assembly and to support the state government's agenda for growth and development across all sectors of the economy.
Political observers in Edo State noted that Agbebaku's resignation marks a significant shift in the power dynamics of the Assembly, as he had led the House since its inauguration in 2023. His leadership had come under scrutiny in recent months over alleged lack of cohesion and administrative challenges within the House.
The new Speaker has assured residents of Edo State that the Assembly under his leadership will prioritize people-oriented legislation and strengthen collaboration with the executive arm to deliver dividends of democracy to the people and promote good governance.
