The Edo State House of Assembly has impeached its former Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, after rejecting his purported resignation on the grounds that it did not comply with parliamentary procedures.
The decision was taken during plenary in Benin, where the Majority Leader, Sunday Ojezele, moved a motion for Agbebaku’s impeachment.
The development followed Agbebaku’s announcement on August 17 that he was resigning as Speaker amid moves by lawmakers to remove him. Yekini Idiaye, representing Akoko-Edo I, was subsequently elected as his replacement.
Ojezele, who represents Esan South-East Constituency, told the House that it had not received any resignation letter from the former Speaker.
He also said Agbebaku’s alleged verbal resignation was “unknown to parliamentary practices and did not conform with parliamentary procedures”. The motion was supported by a majority of the lawmakers.
Following the resolution, Ojezele presented the impeachment letter to the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, for onward transmission to the Speaker, Yekini Idiaye.
Also Read: Agbebaku explains resignation as Speaker
In his remarks, Idiaye condemned what he described as Agbebaku’s “worrisome and unwarranted attitude” and reiterated that the former Speaker remained suspended.
He directed Agbebaku to return all House property in his possession on or before Friday, warning that law enforcement agencies would be engaged if he failed to comply.
Meanwhile, the Assembly passed two bills aimed at strengthening financial autonomy and institutional independence in the state.
The bills are the Edo State House of Assembly Fund Management Amendment Bill, 2023 and the Edo State Judiciary Financial Autonomy Amendment Bill, 2023. The bills were passed after the House resolved into a committee of the whole.
Ojezele said strengthening institutions and government agencies would help curb corruption and fraud while safeguarding institutional autonomy.
The Speaker subsequently directed the Clerk to transmit clean copies of the two bills to Governor Monday Okpebholo for assent.
The Assembly also confirmed Ambrose Ayewoh-Oyakhilomen from Esan North-East as Deputy Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board.
The Eagle Online
