The Edo State House of Assembly has impeached its immediate past Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, days after he announced his resignation from the position.
The decision was taken on Monday, August 24, 2026, during plenary in Benin City, after lawmakers rejected the claim that Agbebaku had resigned.
Instead, the lawmakers resolved to remove him through impeachment.
The development is the latest twist in the leadership crisis that has affected the Edo State House of Assembly since Agbebaku left office the previous week.
The Majority Leader, Sunday Ojezele, representing Esan South-East Constituency, moved the motion for Agbebaku’s impeachment.
Ojezele told the lawmakers that the Assembly had not received any formal resignation letter from Agbebaku.
He argued that the manner in which Agbebaku announced his resignation did not follow parliamentary procedure.
According to him, the verbal resignation process “was unknown to parliamentary practices and did not conform with parliamentary procedures”.
The motion was supported by the majority of lawmakers present.
Ojezele subsequently submitted the impeachment letter to the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, for onward transmission to the Speaker, Yekini Idiaye.
The decision effectively changed the position taken by the Assembly on August 17, when Agbebaku announced his resignation during plenary.
Following his departure at the time, Idiaye was elected as the new Speaker.
Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, had resigned amid reports that lawmakers were planning to remove him from office.
He had explained that he decided to step down in the interest of peace.
Speaking before the leadership change, Agbebaku 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.”
He also said he was not desperate to remain Speaker.
“I was not born to be a speaker. I think today I am standing here as a hero,” he said.
Agbebaku added, “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.”
He concluded by saying, “We want peace in the state. And I have resigned.”
However, the Assembly has now formally treated his exit as an impeachment rather than a resignation.
Speaking during Monday’s proceedings, Idiaye said Agbebaku remained suspended and criticised what he described as his “worrisome and unwarranted attitude”.
The new Speaker also directed Agbebaku to return all property belonging to the Assembly that remained in his possession.
He gave the former Speaker until Friday to comply, warning that security agencies would be invited if he failed to obey the directive.
Idiaye had earlier accused Agbebaku of poor leadership and alleged corruption within the Assembly.
He said the legislature had faced several challenges under Agbebaku since the inauguration of the eighth Assembly in 2023.
“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.”
Idiaye added, “We are not happy with his leadership style. His leadership is poor and it has been drawing the work of the government backwards.”
He said the lawmakers decided to change the leadership, adding, “That is why we removed him. We must encourage our performing governor. He is doing well; anything that will derail or stop our performing governor, we must stop it.”
Idiaye also promised that the new leadership would support Governor Monday Okpebholo while carrying out its legislative duties.
“I can assure all of you that we will do everything possible to support Governor Monday Okpebholo to move this state forward.”
The new leadership also raised concerns over the management of Assembly resources, including the procurement of official vehicles.
A five-member ad hoc committee was subsequently established to investigate issues surrounding Agbebaku’s administration.
The committee, inaugurated on August 18, is headed by Bright Iyamu, representing Orhionmwon South.
Iyamu said the investigation would not be used to target Agbebaku but was part of the Assembly’s accountability process.
“Firstly, I want to let you know that it is nothing like a witch-hunt. What you are seeing today, I would say, is the beauty of democracy.”
He added that the committee would investigate the financial activities of the Assembly, including vehicle procurement.
“For the Speaker, we are all one in the House of Assembly, but that does not mean we cannot do what we are asked to do.”
Iyamu further said, “We will make everybody understand that this is an open policy. We are not trying to pay him back or whatever,” he said.
