Edo Lawmakers Impeach Agbebaku After Rejecting His Resignation

The Edo State House of Assembly has impeached its immediate past Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, after lawmakers rejected his resignation from office.

Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, had resigned as speaker on August 17 amid reported moves by members of the assembly to remove him.

Following his resignation, Yekini Idiayi, representing Akoko Edo II Constituency, was sworn in as the new speaker.

However, during Monday’s resumed sitting, Idiayi announced that 17 of the 24 lawmakers had rejected Agbebaku’s resignation and instead signed an impeachment notice against him.

According to the new speaker, the impeachment notice was presented by the House Majority Leader, Sunny Ojiezele, during the previous Monday’s plenary.

Ojiezele subsequently moved a motion for Agbebaku’s impeachment, which was seconded by Ahmed Waziri.

Idiayi said the development meant that Agbebaku was deemed to have been impeached rather than having voluntarily resigned as speaker.

He subsequently directed the former speaker to return all government property in his possession, warning that security agencies would be invited if he failed to comply.

Agbebaku was elected Speaker of the eighth Edo State House of Assembly in June 2023.

His leadership came under pressure in May 2024 when he suspended three lawmakers over an alleged plot to impeach him and other principal officers.

The suspended lawmakers denied the allegations and described their suspension as politically motivated.

Agbebaku later defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in May 2025.

His defection came amid pressure from some APC members for his removal, with critics citing his former PDP affiliation, past campaign activities and calls for an “original” APC speaker from his zone.

However, Governor Monday Okpebholo reportedly supported his continued leadership of the assembly, citing his loyalty and contribution to the administration’s agenda.