Edo assembly impeaches speaker, deputy

• Appoints new officers amid crisis
• APC promises to intervene

The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Justice Okonoboh, alongside his deputy, Mrs. Elizabeth Atvie and the Majority Leader, Folly Ogedengbe have been impeached for alleged abuse of office.

The lawmakers immediately elected the former Chief Whip Kabiru Adjoto from Akoko Constituency 1, as the new Speaker, Victor Edoror (Esan Central), Deputy Speaker and Rolland Asoro (Orhiomwon South) as the Majority Leader

The impeachment by 19 of the 24-member assembly was due to a crisis within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This development has altered the political equation in the three senatorial districts of Edo South, Central and North, giving advantage to Edo North with the deputy governor and speaker.

Also, Edo South, which produced the governor, also produced the chief whip, leaving Edo Central where the impeached speaker came from to be relegated.

At the time of filing this report, leaders of the APC were meeting with the new leadership and other lawmakers at the party secretariat in Benin City.

The crisis had forced the House to postpone its resumption two times, despite the intervention of the Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu, who was a former majority leader in the House.

Shortly after the impeachment, Okonoboh described it as a nullity and announced that the lawmakers who masterminded the crisis had been suspended.

The lawmakers Okonoboh earlier suspended were Kabiru Adjoto, Victor Edoroh, Osagbovo Iyoha, Emmanuel Agbaje, Peter Eruaga, Asoro Roland, Monday Ehighalua and Sunday Osasemigie.

But the new speaker said: “We need somebody who will respect the sanctity of the office. Somebody who will take Edo people first and makes laws for the people and I will not disappoint our people in this regard.”

The state Secretary of the party, Lawrence Okah told journalists that the party would come up with its stand after consultations with the leaders.