- Edo lawmakers have formally impeached former Speaker Blessing Agbebaku.
- The Assembly said his earlier resignation was not officially presented or documented.
- Yekini Idaiye, who replaced Agbebaku as Speaker, ordered him to return government property.
The Edo State House of Assembly has formally impeached its immediate past Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, eight days after he announced his resignation from the position.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency I, had announced his resignation as Speaker on August 17, 2026, amid a leadership crisis in the Assembly. Following his exit, Yekini Idaiye, representing Akoko-Edo Constituency I, was elected as the new Speaker.
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However, the Assembly on Monday, August 24, reversed the position and declared that Agbebaku did not resign from office but was instead impeached.
The new Speaker, Idaiye, explained during plenary that the impeachment notice against Agbebaku had been signed by 17 of the 24 members of the Assembly. He said the notice was formally presented by the Majority Leader during the previous Monday’s sitting.
According to Idaiye, the Assembly converted Agbebaku’s indefinite suspension into a formal impeachment because his resignation notice had not been officially presented and documented before the House.
He consequently maintained that Agbebaku’s departure should be regarded as an impeachment rather than a voluntary resignation.
The motion for the formal impeachment was moved by the Majority Leader, Sunny Ojiezele, and seconded by Ahmed Waziri, representing Etsako Central Constituency.
The development marks another dramatic turn in the leadership crisis that has rocked the Edo Assembly over the past week.
Agbebaku’s resignation had initially appeared to bring the leadership dispute to an end after Idaiye emerged as his replacement. However, the House’s latest decision has now formally changed the circumstances surrounding his exit from office.
Idaiye also directed Agbebaku to return all government property in his possession by virtue of his former position as Speaker.
The new Speaker warned that security agencies could be engaged if the former Speaker failed to comply with the directive or respond to the Assembly’s demand.
The latest development also came amid changes to other leadership positions in the House. Jonathan Ibhamawu was removed as Majority Leader, while Addeh Emankhu Isibor was removed as Deputy Majority Leader. They were replaced by Ojiezele Osezua Sunday and Inegbeboh Ojie Eugene respectively.
Agbebaku’s formal impeachment now brings a fresh dimension to the political crisis within the Edo State House of Assembly, as lawmakers insist that his exit from the Speakership was not by resignation but through the constitutional process of impeachment.
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