By Lucky Isibor
The Edo State House of Assembly on Monday, August 17, witnessed a dramatic leadership change as the Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, resigned from office, paving the way for Hon. Yekini Idaiye to emerge as the new Speaker of the legislature.
The development unfolded during plenary, where members formally received Agbebaku’s resignation before proceeding to inaugurate Idaiye as his successor.
In his first address after assuming the speakership, Idaiye announced that Agbebaku had also been suspended by the House over allegations bordering on corruption and misappropriation of public funds.
The new Speaker said the allegations would be subjected to a thorough investigation, stressing that the suspension was necessary to allow the process to proceed without interference and to establish the facts surrounding the claims.
The decision effectively brings Agbebaku’s tenure as presiding officer of the Assembly to an abrupt end and opens a new chapter in the leadership of the Edo legislature.
Idaiye also announced the suspension of the Majority Leader, Minority Leader and other principal officers who served under the former Speaker. The move signals a broader reorganisation of the Assembly’s leadership structure following the change at the helm.
Further changes emerged on the floor when the Assembly received a letter from the All Progressives Congress (APC) announcing adjustments to its Majority Caucus.
The letter, signed by the state APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, announced the removal of Hon. Jonathan Ibawamu, representing Esan West Constituency, as Majority Leader. He was replaced by Hon. Sunny Ojezele of Esan South-East Constituency.
Similarly, Hon. Adeh Isibor, representing Esan North-East I Constituency, was relieved of his position as Deputy Majority Leader and replaced by Hon. Eugene Inegbeboh of Igueben Constituency.
The changes add another layer to the leadership shake-up at the Assembly, with the legislature now poised to operate under a substantially altered hierarchy.
The events of Monday marked one of the most significant leadership developments in the Edo Assembly in recent times, with the new administration expected to confront the allegations against the former Speaker while also settling into a reconfigured leadership structure.
The sitting was subsequently adjourned to Tuesday, 18 August