JUST IN: Edo State Assembly Speaker Resigns
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from his position amid moves by some lawmakers to impeach him.
Agbebaku, who emerged as Speaker of the eighth Assembly in June 2023, reportedly stepped down on Monday, August 17, 2026.
His media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, confirmed the development in a terse statement posted on Facebook, saying further details on the circumstances surrounding the Speaker’s resignation would be made public later.
The resignation comes amid heightened political manoeuvring within the Edo Assembly. The lawmakers are expected to gather to elect a new Speaker.
Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency of Edo state, had been at the centre of several political developments in the state, particularly the realignment of lawmakers and the changing balance of power in the Assembly.
He defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2025 following the emergence of Monday Okpebholo as governor of Edo State.
His resignation has further intensified political uncertainty in the state as politicians begin positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development also comes weeks after Agbebaku faced criticism from residents of Sobe community in Owan West Local Government Area over the prolonged delay in restoring electricity to the area.
In July, the residents alleged that Sobe had remained without electricity for more than eight years despite repeated assurances from the Speaker over the preceding three years.
In a letter addressed to Agbebaku and signed by Prince Ogbeta Joseph, the community expressed disappointment over what it described as unfulfilled promises, recalling that the Speaker had during the Sobe Day celebration in September promised to donate N1 million to the community and work with Governor Okpebholo to restore electricity before December.
“This letter is not written to attack your person or diminish your achievements. It is a sincere appeal from a loyal community asking only for fairness, inclusion and the fulfilment of promises freely made,” the residents said.
“Sobe is not asking for special treatment. We are only asking not to be forgotten.”
Responding to the concerns at the time, Agbebaku said the electrification project had not been abandoned, insisting that it remained a priority he had consistently pursued as the representative of the people.
He explained that due process required the project to be captured in the state budget before execution could commence.
According to him, the project involves the extension of electricity from Sabongidda-Ora to Sobe and constitutes a major capital infrastructure undertaking.
Agbebaku said technical assessments and cost estimates had already been completed and submitted to the relevant authorities, adding that the project was being processed for inclusion in the 2027 fiscal year budget.
Meanwhile, the Edo State House of Assembly under his leadership, passed a Bill for a Law to provide for a Revised Edition of the Laws of Edo State and the preparation, printing and publication of the revised laws of the state, as well as other matters incidental thereto.
The bill was passed in July following accelerated consideration by the lawmakers. The House invoked Rule 20 and relaxed Rule 46 to allow for its speedy passage, citing the importance of the legislation to governance.
