• Edo judicial workers protest, allege repeal of law
• State Assembly impeaches suspended ex-speaker

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State yesterday described any jobs outside lawmaking and oversight functions by the legislative arm as “deviation from the field of play”.

The governor, who spoke while receiving and signing the Edo House of Assembly Funds Management Bill 2023 and the State Judiciary Financial Autonomy 2023 Amendment Bill into law, explained that out of the three arms of government, the executive is responsible for administration and implementation, while the judiciary interprets laws and punishes offenders.

He said the three arms of government had distinct responsibilities and should operate within their constitutional mandates.

He commended the lawmakers for the swift passage of the legislation, saying he was pleased that the issue had been resolved.

Okpebholo said: “I am indeed delighted because this has become like a controversial law, I must confess to you. For me, deviating from these is totally out of the field of play, changing the goal post. I saw danger in it and the way things were going.”

The governor said he was concerned that funds meant for capital projects were no longer reaching the people, adding that such projects are the most visible way government could improve the lives of residents.

He commended the lawmakers for standing by the people, saying their action demonstrated their commitment to the development of Edo State.

Earlier, Speaker of the House, Yekini Idaiye, said the legislation did not remove the financial autonomy of the House of Assembly or the judiciary. He explained that recurrent expenditure would continue to go to the Assembly and judiciary, while the amendment addressed the management of capital funds.

Idaiye said the governor’s position was aimed at preventing further abuse of capital funds by ensuring that the executive handles the capital component through the appropriation process.

He said the Assembly and judiciary would submit proposals to the executive for approval before accessing funds for
capital projects.

EARLIER, judiciary workers under the auspices of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), yesterday, locked out workers of the Edo State House of Assembly over plans to repeal the Financial Autonomy Law for both the judiciary and legislature.

The Judicial workers blocked the entrance gate with placards demanding suspension of the planned repeal of the law.
Recall that last week, the Majority Leader of the House proposed two bills titled “A bill to repeal the Edo State Judiciary Financial Autonomy Law, 2023, and a bill to repeal the Edo State House of Assembly Funds Management Law, 2023.”

Chairman of Edo JUSUN, Orien Charles, said the protest was to ask lawmakers to throw the proposed bill away.  He said they spent 10 years fighting for autonomy and would not allow it to be stopped.

He said: “We are here because of our financial autonomy. The House of Assembly, last week, wanted to repeal the Financial Autonomy Law for the judiciary. After agitation, they said it was an error and that they wanted to do an amendment. We found out that the amendment and the repeal are the same thing. They want to take away the autonomy.

The amendment is the same thing as repealing. During the course of the amendment, they will take away the autonomy and bring in another law that will not suit the judiciary and the House of Assembly.

ALSO, the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly took a twist yesterday as members of the House formally impeached the suspended Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku.

Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, had on Monday, August 17, 2026, resigned as Speaker of the House.

The lawmaker representing Akoko-Edo 1, Yekini Idaiye, was then elected in his place as the new Speaker.

However, eight days after the initial controversy began, the House converted Agbebaku’s resignation to impeachment. The new Speaker, backed by some lawmakers, said the impeachment notice was signed by 17 members of the House.

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

The Speaker stressed that Agbebaku was impeached and did not resign from the office. The motion for the formal impeachment was moved by the Majority Leader, Sunny Ojiezele, and seconded by the member representing Etsako Central, Ahmed Waziri.

The Speaker, while directing Agbebaku to return all government property in his possession, further threatened that security agencies would be engaged if the former Speaker failed to comply with the directive or respond to the House.