Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned.
 
It was gathered that Agbebaku resigned yesterday after receiving information that 18 out of the 24 Assembly members had signed his impeachment notice.
 
The Guardian reports that 2/3 (16 members) is needed to impeach the Speaker. His resignation was confirmed by his media aide, Ivy Ebojele, adding that details of his resignation would be made public later.
 
The member representing Akoko-Edo Constituency 1, Yekini Idiaye, and a third-term member of the Assembly, is now the new Speaker.
 
Ordinarily, when the Speaker resigns or is impeached, his deputy automatically takes over, but due to the gentleman zoning arrangement, which dictates that when the governor comes from the Central Senatorial District, the Speaker must come from the North Senatorial District, Yekini, being the oldest member from the zone, was made Speaker.
 
Addressing journalists shortly after plenary, the new Speaker accused the former Speaker of corruption and not carrying out his speakership job as expected.
 
Yekini said: “The House was inaugurated on June 16, 2023, under the leadership of the former Speaker, Blessing 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.”
 
He claimed Agbebaku was removed by the members. Yekini 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.”
 
At the time of filing this report, all the members of the House came out, hopped into waiting vehicles, and drove out of the premises, apparently to the Government House.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has met with the new Speaker, Idaiye, urging him and other lawmakers to promote unity, transparency and teamwork in the discharge of their responsibilities.
 
The governor also charged the new leadership of the Assembly to embrace humility, put aside personal differences and focus on serving the people of the state.
 
Okpebholo gave the charge when he received Idaiye and other members of the Assembly at the Government House, Benin City.
 
Speaking through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr Patrick Ebojele, the governor said political offices are temporary and should be occupied with humility and a strong sense of responsibility.
 
“We must put arrogance aside to serve our people better because today we are here and tomorrow we don’t know where we will be.
 
“It is 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.