Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The immediate past Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has firmly rejected his purported impeachment, insisting that he voluntarily resigned from the position on August 17, 2026, and that the lawmakers' decision to convert his resignation into an impeachment is an attempt to rewrite history. Agbebaku, who represents Owan West Constituency, made his position known in a statement posted on the Facebook page of his former media aide, Mrs Ivy Adodo Ebojele, on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, just hours after the House formally declared him impeached during plenary on Monday, August 24.
The political drama began on August 17, 2026, when Agbebaku resigned as Speaker amid reports of an impending impeachment plot by his colleagues. His resignation was confirmed by his media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, in a Facebook post at the time. Following his resignation, the House suspended him indefinitely, removed the Majority Leader and Deputy Majority Leader from their positions, and elected Hon. Yekini Idiaye, representing Akoko-Edo Constituency I, as the new Speaker.
However, during Monday's resumed sitting, Speaker Idiaye announced that an impeachment notice against Agbebaku had been signed by 17 of the 24 members of the House. The Majority Leader, Sunny Ojiezele, argued that Agbebaku's resignation letter did not follow due parliamentary procedure and was never officially presented or documented before the House suspended him. The lawmakers subsequently converted the resignation to impeachment following a motion moved by Ojiezele and seconded by Ahmed Oshioma Waziri, representing Etsako Central Constituency. The House also directed Agbebaku to return all government property in his possession and warned that security agencies would be engaged if he failed to comply.
In a forceful rebuttal titled, 'Setting the Record Straight: I resigned, I was not impeached', Agbebaku maintained that he voluntarily tendered his resignation on the floor of the House on August 17. He insisted that his resignation letter was personally handed over to Hon. Ojiezele Sunny, who subsequently presented it to the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Atu Osawonyi, who was presiding over the sitting. "Beyond submitting my written and duly signed resignation, I personally addressed the House during plenary and publicly announced my decision to resign as Speaker," Agbebaku stated.
The former Speaker emphasised that the proceedings were covered by television stations and other media organisations, and footage of his address on the floor of the House remains available for everyone to see. "Therefore, there is both documentary and video evidence of exactly what transpired," he said. Agbebaku expressed shock at reports circulating on social media attempting to portray a resignation that was publicly announced, formally submitted and widely reported as an impeachment. He argued that resignation and impeachment were two entirely different constitutional and parliamentary processes, stressing that political narratives should not be allowed to rewrite documented history.
Explaining his decision to resign, Agbebaku said he did so in the interest of peace, progress and the development of Edo State and Owan West Constituency. "The letter is there. The plenary proceedings are there. The video of my speech on the floor of the House is there. The television reports are there. The witnesses are there. These are verifiable facts," he declared. He added that he remains a duly elected member representing the good people of Owan West Constituency and remains committed to providing them with effective representation. "I also remain loyal to our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and committed to the peace and progress of Edo State," he said.
"For the avoidance of doubt and for the sake of history and posterity, on 17th August 2026, I voluntarily resigned as Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly. I was not impeached. Facts are sacred. History must not be rewritten," Agbebaku concluded.
The crisis has exposed deep fissures within the Edo State House of Assembly and raised questions about the legality and propriety of the lawmakers' decision to retroactively convert a resignation into an impeachment. As Agbebaku digs in his heels, the battle over the true nature of his exit from the speakership appears far from over. The former Speaker's insistence on the verifiable evidence of his resignation, including video footage, suggests that this political drama may yet play out in the courts or in the court of public opinion.
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