The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from office amid reported moves by lawmakers to remove him through impeachment.
Agbebaku’s resignation was confirmed on Monday, August 17, by his media aide, Ivy Ebojele, who announced the development in a Facebook post.
“EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS. DETAILS LATER,” she wrote.
The development has thrown the Edo legislature into fresh uncertainty as lawmakers move to determine a new leadership for the House.
Reports about the immediate successor to Agbebaku have varied.
One report said Yekini Idaiyi, representing Akoko-Edo II Constituency, had been sworn in as the new Speaker.
Another report, however, said Deputy Speaker Osawmonyi Atu emerged as Speaker after Agbebaku was reportedly removed during plenary.
The conflicting accounts could not immediately be reconciled, and the Edo State House of Assembly had yet to provide a definitive public clarification on the succession arrangement as of the time of filing this report.
Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, became Speaker of the eighth Edo Assembly in June 2023. He was elected unopposed after his nomination by fellow lawmakers.
His emergence followed the inauguration of the eighth Assembly after the 2023 state legislative elections.
The Speaker’s political fortunes changed significantly in 2025 when he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress alongside other lawmakers.
The defection strengthened the APC’s control of the Edo legislature and came amid broader political realignments in the state following the change of administration.
Agbebaku’s resignation now adds another layer to the political adjustments taking place in Edo.
The circumstances behind his exit remain unclear, although reports of an impeachment move had circulated before his resignation.
The latest crisis is particularly significant because the Speaker is the principal presiding officer of the state legislature and plays a central role in determining the conduct of legislative business.
Any change in the leadership of the House could therefore affect the handling of government bills, legislative oversight and the relationship between the Assembly and the executive.
For now, attention is on the lawmakers as they move to settle the leadership question and formally establish who will preside over the remainder of the Assembly’s current tenure.
Agbebaku’s media aide has promised further details on the circumstances surrounding his resignation.
