Edo Speaker Resigns Amid Allegations Of Corruption, Poor Leadership

The new Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Yekini Idiaye, on Monday accused his predecessor, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, of alleged corruption and poor leadership, saying lawmakers removed him to prevent actions capable of slowing down the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Idiaye, who represents Akoko-Edo Constituency I, made the allegations shortly after he emerged as Speaker following Agbebaku’s resignation.

Agbebaku was said to have stepped down early on Monday after learning that 18 of the 24 members of the Assembly had endorsed a notice for his impeachment. Under the House rules, the signatures of at least two-thirds of the members, equivalent to 16 lawmakers, are required to remove the Speaker.

Confirming the development, Agbebaku’s media aide, Ivy Ebojele, said the former Speaker had resigned and that details of the resignation would be made public later.

LEADERSHIP gathered that plots to remove the former Speaker started shortly after Governor Monday took over the governance of the state. Some party leaders had kicked against his choice as Speaker, having served under the former Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo.

Addressing journalists after plenary, Idiaye alleged that the House had endured a difficult period under Agbebaku’s leadership.

“The House was inaugurated on June 16, 2023, under the leadership of the former Speaker, Hon. 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 backward,” he said.

He maintained that lawmakers decided to remove Agbebaku in the interest of the state, stressing that the Assembly would work closely with Governor Monday Okpebholo to advance his administration’s programmes.

“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,” Idiaye added.

Idiaye’s emergence followed a zoning arrangement within the state, which reserves the position of Speaker for Edo North Senatorial District whenever the governor is from Edo Central.

Although the Deputy Speaker would ordinarily assume the office in the event of a resignation or impeachment, the arrangement paved the way for Idiaye, a third-term lawmaker and the most senior member from Edo North, to take over.

Shortly after the plenary, members of the Assembly left the legislative complex in a convoy of vehicles reportedly heading to the Government House.

Efforts to obtain Agbebaku’s reaction to the allegations were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone was switched off as of the time of filing this report.