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The Edo State House of Assembly has rejected the resignation of former Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, declaring instead that he was impeached from office.
The decision came eight days after Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, announced his resignation on August 17, 2026, amid reports that lawmakers were preparing to remove him through impeachment.
Following his resignation, the Assembly suspended him indefinitely and also removed the then Majority Leader, Jonathan Ibhamawu, and Deputy Majority Leader, Addeh Emankhu Isibor, from their positions as principal officers.
The House subsequently elected Hon. Yekini Idiaye, representing Akoko-Edo Constituency I, as the new Speaker.
Addressing lawmakers during Monday\'s plenary, Speaker Idiaye disclosed that an impeachment notice against Agbebaku had already been endorsed by 17 of the 24 members of the Assembly. He explained that the notice was formally presented by the Majority Leader during the previous sitting.
Idiaye said Agbebaku\'s resignation could not stand because it was neither officially presented nor entered into the records of the House before his suspension, adding that the resignation had therefore been overtaken by the impeachment process.
Following the Speaker\'s ruling, the Majority Leader, Hon. Sunny Ojiezele, moved a motion for the formal impeachment of the former Speaker, which was seconded by Hon. Ahmed Waziri and adopted by the House.
The Assembly also directed Agbebaku to return all government property in his possession without delay. Speaker Idiaye warned that security agencies would be engaged to recover the items if the former Speaker failed to comply with the directive.
