The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from office amid moves by some lawmakers to remove him.
Agbebaku’s resignation on Monday brings an abrupt end to his tenure and has triggered a fresh leadership transition within the state legislature.
His media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, confirmed the development in a Facebook post, simply stating: “EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS.”
She added that further details on the circumstances surrounding the Speaker’s resignation would be made public later.
The development came against the backdrop of reported efforts by some members of the Assembly to impeach Agbebaku.
Following his resignation, lawmakers reportedly elected the immediate past Deputy Speaker, Osawmonyi Atu, representing Orhionmwon I Constituency, as the new Speaker.
Atu’s emergence marks a major change in the leadership of the Assembly, although details of the proceedings that culminated in Agbebaku’s exit remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
Agbebaku assumed the speakership in 2023 under the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki after emerging as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In January 2025, Agbebaku and other lawmakers in the Assembly defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC), while he retained his position as Speaker.
The latest development is expected to usher in a new phase in the political dynamics of the Edo State House of Assembly, with further details on the leadership change still awaited.
