By joshua Edo Assembly Speaker Agbebaku, Majority Leader Forced To Resign, Suspended
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin city
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, and the Majority Leader, Jonathan Ibhamawu, have been forced to resign following intense pressure from members of the House.
Both lawmakers were also suspended indefinitely during a brief plenary session on Monday that lasted less than 30 minutes.
Aljazirah Nigeria gathered that Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, bowed to pressure after aggrieved lawmakers initiated an impeachment plot against him.
Agbebaku, to avoid a full-blown legislative crisis, opted for a “soft-landing” by resigning his position as the speaker.
Ibhamawu, who represents Esan West Constituency, was also removed and suspended alongside the speaker.
The Deputy Speaker, Yekini Idaiyi (Akoko-Edo Constituency II), was subsequently sworn in as the new Speaker.
The House also elected new principal officers, namely: Ojiezele Osezua Sunday (Esan South-East Constituency), as Majority Leader,
Honourable Inegbeboh Ojie Eugene (Esan North-East I) Deputy Majority Leader; Natasha Osawaru Irobosa, (Egor Constituency, NDC) Minority Leader.
The leadership overhaul has effectively reconfigured the power structure of the 8th Edo State House of Assembly.
Reacting to the resignation, Blessing Agbebaku said, he was asked to resign.
According to him, ” I was asked to resign as the speaker of the house, so I obeyed party instructions.” He stated.