Edo ‌‌Assembly converts ex-speaker’s ‘resignation’ to impeachment

The Edo State House of Assembly on Monday rejected the purported resignation of former Speaker Blessing Agbebaku.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the House instead converted the resignation to impeachment during plenary in Benin.

Moving the motion for Agbebaku’s impeachment, the Majority Leader, Sunday Ojezele, said the House did not receive the alleged resignation letter.

Ojezele, who represents Esan South-East State Constituency, said the verbal resignation process “was unknown to parliamentary practices and did not conform to parliamentary procedures”.

He urged members to support the impeachment of the ex-speaker. A majority of the members supported the motion for Agbebaku’s impeachment.

Ojezele subsequently presented the impeachment letter to the Clerk, Yahaya Omogbai, for onward transmission to the Speaker, Yekini Idiaye,

In a remark, the speaker condemned what he described as Agbebaku’s “worrisome and unwarranted attitude” and reiterated that he remained suspended.

Idiaye directed Mr Agbebaku to return all House property in his possession on or before Friday. He warned that law enforcement agencies would be engaged should he fail to comply.

The House also passed two key bills designed to strengthen the state’s financial autonomy and institutional independence. The first was a bill titled “A Law to Amend the Edo State House of Assembly Fund Management Law 2023”. The second was a bill for a Law to Amend the Edo State Judiciary Financial Autonomy Law 2023, which was introduced after the House was dissolved into a committee of the whole.

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Ojezele reiterated that strengthening institutions and government agencies would help curb corruption and fraud while safeguarding institutional autonomy.

The speaker directed the clerk to transmit clean copies of both bills to Governor Monday Okpebholo for assent.

The House also confirmed Ambrose Ayewoh-Oyakhilomen, who hails from Esan North-East, as the deputy chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board.

The House thereafter adjourned its sitting until Wednesday.