Hon. Yekini Idaiyi, representing Akoko Edo II Constituency, has been sworn in as Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, following the resignation and reported suspension of former Speaker Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, while Hon. Sunny Ojiezele, representing Esan South-East Constituency, has emerged as Majority Leader.

The rapid changes have triggered a dramatic leadership shake-up in the Edo legislature, coming amid reports of internal disagreements and an alleged move to remove Agbebaku from office.

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Agbebaku’s resignation was confirmed earlier on Monday by Ivy Ebojele, his media aide, who announced the development in a Facebook post.

“EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS. DETAILS LATER,” Ebojele wrote.

Reports subsequently indicated that Idaiyi had been sworn in to occupy the Speaker’s seat.

The circumstances surrounding Agbebaku’s departure remain politically significant.

TheCable reported that the former Speaker resigned amid an alleged impeachment threat from members of the Assembly, although Agbebaku’s aide did not provide details on the circumstances of the resignation.

The latest development also involves Ojiezele, who has now been named Majority Leader after the previous occupant of the position was removed in the leadership changes.

The emergence of Ojiezele is particularly notable given his earlier history with Agbebaku.

In January 2024, Agbebaku suspended Ojiezele, then a member representing Esan South-East, for three months over allegations that his actions were causing disunity among lawmakers.

Agbebaku directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort Ojiezele from the chamber.

The suspension was subsequently lifted in February 2024, allowing Ojiezele to return to legislative proceedings.

That earlier confrontation now provides a striking backdrop to Ojiezele’s emergence as Majority Leader following Agbebaku’s exit.

Ojiezele has also remained an experienced figure within the Assembly.

In December 2023, he chaired the House Committee on Budget and Project Monitoring during consideration of the state’s 2024 budget, which was eventually increased from N325.3 billion to N342.8 billion.

The political configuration of the Assembly has also evolved over the past two years.

In 2025, Ojiezele moved from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, explaining that he was returning to the APC because the party had provided the platform through which he initially won his legislative mandate.

Idaiyi, meanwhile, is not a newcomer to Edo’s political establishment.

Records show that Idaiyi represented Akoko-Edo and was among the commissioners appointed by former Governor Godwin Obaseki in 2017.

The new Speaker’s emergence therefore adds another experienced political figure to the leadership of the Assembly at a particularly sensitive period.

Agbebaku originally emerged as Speaker in June 2023, when the 24-member Edo State House of Assembly elected him to lead the legislature.

The PDP held 14 of the seats at the time, while the APC had eight and the Labour Party one, according to reports on the formation of the Eighth Assembly.

Agbebaku’s tenure subsequently included periods of internal disagreement over party alignments and legislative leadership.

The Assembly also experienced changes in its principal offices before the latest shake-up.

In 2025, Deputy Speaker Maria Edeko resigned from her position, citing political developments and the need for equitable distribution of leadership positions.

The latest transition could therefore have wider implications for the balance of political influence within the legislature.

For now, the immediate priority for Idaiyi will be to establish authority in the Speaker’s office, maintain legislative business and manage relationships among lawmakers following the abrupt leadership changes.

The circumstances surrounding Agbebaku’s reported suspension also remain subject to further clarification.

Publicly available reports confirm his resignation and the alleged impeachment pressure, but details of any formal suspension resolution and the specific grounds remain unclear.

The development is consequently best viewed as an unfolding Edo Assembly crisis, rather than a concluded political realignment.

The coming days are likely to provide clearer answers about the decisions taken by lawmakers, the formal status of Agbebaku and the extent to which the new leadership arrangement will affect the Assembly’s relationship with the executive and political parties in Edo.

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For Idaiyi and Ojiezele, the immediate challenge will be turning a dramatic transition into a stable legislative leadership capable of carrying out the Assembly’s constitutional responsibilities.