UPDATED: Edo Assembly Speaker resigns

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Blessing Agbebaku, the speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, has resigned from his position amid moves by lawmakers to impeach him.

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Mr Agbebaku resigned on Monday. His spokeswoman, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, announced the resignation in a Facebook post.

“Edo Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Chief Blessing Agbebaku resigns.

“Details later,” she wrote on the social media site.

Ms Adodo-Ebojele later told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that he resigned for personal reasons and to promote peace and progress in the House.

“He resigned for personal reasons and to allow for peace and progress to reign in the House of Assembly,” Ms Adodo-Ebojele said.

The resignation came amid moves by some lawmakers to remove Mr Agbebaku as speaker.

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However, shortly after his resignation, Yekini Idiaye, a member representing Akoko-Edo Constituency I, emerged as the new Speaker of the assembly.

Mr Idiaye, a third-term lawmaker, reportedly emerged in line with the assembly’s zoning arrangement, PUNCH Newspaper reported. The arrangement provides that when the governor is from Edo Central Senatorial District, the speaker should come from Edo North.

PUNCH reported that Mr Idiaye, being the oldest member from Edo North, was subsequently elected speaker.

READ ALSO: New Edo assembly speaker alleges corruption as reason for leadership change

Addressing journalists after Monday’s plenary, the new speaker accused Mr Agbebaku of poor leadership and alleged that his administration was characterised by corruption and prolonged adjournments.

“We are not happy with his leadership style. His leadership is poor, and it has been drawing the work of the government backwards,” PUNCH quoted Mr Idiaye as saying.

Mr Idiaye said the lawmakers removed Mr Agbebaku to prevent anything that could derail the state government.

The new speaker’s emergence followed a period of tension in the assembly, with PUNCH reporting that 17 of the 24 lawmakers had signed an impeachment notice against Mr Agbebaku on Sunday night.