Adekunbi Ero
Did the immediate past Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly Blessing Agbebaku, resign his position last Monday or was he impeached by his colleagues?
This is the controversy trailing the Monday August 24, 2026, declaration by the House that Agbabaku had been impeached leaving political watchers wondering how someone who resigned could be impeached one week after.
Recall that Agbebaku had on Monday August 17, 2026, at plenary, claimed he had resigned his position following threats to impeach him.
Taking the floor, Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, said his decision was in response to a demand for his resignation by the powers that be in the interest of peace in the state.
He said, “I agree with all of you. The process is that today I have been asked to resign. Because of that, I was supposed to lead the procession here to resign on the red chair. I was not born to be a speaker. I think today I am standing here as a hero.”
The embattled Agbebaku had on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to retain his position as speaker at the time.
Justifying his action, Agbebaku explained that “My decision was not about party allegiance but rather about the growth, development and progress of my area.
“As a speaker, if I throw away this position because of the party, the position that would enhance development in my area, it means that I am not ready to serve my people. My constituents were in support of my decision.”
Hinting that Governor Okpebholo had a hand in his forced exit, Agbebaku said, “If he has a decision contrary to giving his government a peaceful trade deal, I think I have no choice but to obey his decision. We want peace in the state. And I have resigned.”
However, one week after, the matter took a new twist as members of the House revisited his said resignation and substituted it for impeachment.
Moving a motion to this effect, the Majority Leader, Sunday Ojezele reiterated that the alleged resignation letter was not received by the House, insisting that Agbebaku ‘s resignation process was unknown to parliamentary practices and did not conform with parliamentary procedures.
Ojezele therefore moved a motion that the ex-Speaker be impeached. His motion was seconded by Oshomah Ahmed, the member, representing Etsako Central Constituency.
Putting the matter to a voice vote, the law makers unanimously supported Agbebaku’s impeachment.
Thereafter, the majority leader presented the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, with the ex-Speaker’s impeachment letter for onward transfer to the House’s new Speaker, Yekini Idaiye.
Responding to the development, Idaiye frowned at Agbebaku’s attitude, directing him to return the properties of the House in his possession on or before Friday August 28, 2026, or face the law.
Addressing journalists shortly after Monday’s plenary, the new Speaker accused the former Speaker of corruption and not carrying out his job as expected.
Yekini said: “The House was inaugurated on the 16th of June, 2023 under the leadership of 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 that it was for these reasons that Agbebaku was removed by the members.
“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,” Idaiye said
The change effected, members of the Assembly headed to the Government House to brief Governor Okpebholo about the new development.
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