Blessing Agbebaku, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly has said his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is to retain the benefits of the speakership position, for the development of his constituency.
Agbebaku, representing Owan West constituency, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made this known during the plenary on Wednesday where he disclosed that his defection was not driven by personal gains but by a commitment to the welfare of those who elected him.
The Edo Speaker further noted that politics is all about the interest of the people who gave him the mandate to represent them at the State House of Assembly.
The Speaker added that there was also a need to have opposition in the House, while reaffirming his commitment to unity within the Assembly.
He said, “I want to formally let this House know that yesterday, the Speaker of this House, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, defected to the APC.
“My decision was not about party allegiance but rather about the growth, development and progress of my area.
“As a Speaker, if I throw away this position because of the party, the position that would enhance development in my area, it means that I am not ready to serve my people. My constituents were in support of my decision.
“I spoke about some of the projects the governor took to my area yesterday, and the people of Owan West are very happy.
“On that note, I took that decision, and I think to a large extent, my people are happy about it.
“We are all working with the governor to take the state to the next level so that the people will enjoy the dividends of democracy. So, the issue of party affiliations should not arise. To me, there is no party in this House.”
Blessing Agbebaku, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday led 17 Local Government Chairmen, numerous councilors, and several notable members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, Fred Itua made this known in a statement, disclosing that the Speaker’s move was aimed at aligning with Governor Okpebholo to fast-track development across the State.
The party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, while receiving the defectors on behalf of the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, assured of equal opportunities within the APC, emphasizing the significance of their defection as a milestone for the party’s
Among those who decamped with the Speaker are Hon. Sunny Ifada, Hon. Yekini Idiaye, former Deputy Speaker Hon. Roland Asoro, former House Majority Leader Hon. Nosa Nosayaba, and former PDP State Secretary Gabriel Oloruntoba, among others.
Governor Monday Okpebholo welcomed the new entrants into the APC fold, promising that the State is on a path to accelerated growth with the full backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Edo is witnessing unprecedented development because we have a president who believes in our people. From roads to flyovers, education, youth employment, and agriculture, we are investing massively to ensure food security and economic stability,” the governor stated.
He further declared that Edo would play a leading role in ensuring President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. “We will lead the South-South in supporting Mr. President. We have the structure and the momentum, and we will launch this mission from Edo State,” he affirmed.
Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, commended the Speaker’s return to APC as a homecoming, describing Agbebaku as one of the original builders of the party in the state.
“This defection is a testament to the governor’s impressive performance. Out of 24 Assembly members, APC now holds 18 seats, providing the needed legislative support to move the state forward,” Oshiomhole said.
Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Marcus Onobun, has debunked insinuations that the state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, was instrumental to his emergence as Speaker of the House.
Onobun who gave the clarification on Friday in Benin, said the mantle of leadership was bestowed on him by the collective decision of members of the House.
He noted that although the Assembly is restructure to ensure that Obaseki succeed as governor, the House will however not hesitate to discharge its statutory functions of checkmating the executive in a non-confrontational manner
He said: “Obaseki never masterminded my emergence. We are an arm of government and independent.
“The support I got was from the overwhelming members of the House and you can attest to the fact that the way the House is run now, the governor tried as much as possible to allow the business run without interference.”
Onobun said the change of leadership became necessary in order to strengthened the grounds to enable the Assembly function in maximum capacity towards discharging its constitutional responsibility.
He added that the House has not only re-united but equally went further to commute the impeachment of the former Speaker to resignation.
Commenting on the fate of the 14 APC lawmaker-elects who are yet to be inaugurated, the Speaker said their seats have since been declared vacant
He called on INEC to as a matter of urgency, conduct election to fill the vacancies as the job of 24 lawmakers have become a herculean task on nine persons
“We are looking forward to having a complete House and that is why I want to use this opportunity to call on INEC to quickly conduct elections to fill the vacancies and help the House to complete 24 and all the constituencies represented,” he said.
Seventeen members of the Edo State House of Assembly, 14 of whom have been locked out in the cold by Governor Godwin Obaseki since last year, elected a new speaker today.
He is Victor Edoror, a former speaker.
He was inaugurated at an undisclosed venue after a motion for the impeachment of Frank Okiye was not opposed.
The minority members said to have shrunk to five, with Frank Okiye as their speaker, meet at the Governors Office, while Governor Obaseki said he was renovating the premises of the State Assembly.
The original 14 majority members now have with them three other members, from the 10 Obaseki and the clerk of the assembly inaugurated last year.
They are Mr. Sunday Aghedo, (APC Ovia SW) and Ohio Ezoma.
Aghedo moved a motion signed by the entire members calling for Okiye’s impeachment. It was seconded by Ezomo (APC Owan West).
The motion nominating Edoror was moved by Washington Osifo (APC Uhunmwonde) and was seconded by Eric Okaka (APC, Owan East).
Mr Chris Okaeben (APC, Oredo West) moved the motion that got Emma Agbaje (APC, Akoko-Edo II) who acted as Speaker ex tempore, elected as Deputy Speaker.
Before the election, 12 out of the 14 members who were not sworn in last year took their oaths administered by a former Clerk of Edo Assembly, Tom Efezokhae.
Following the inaugural sitting, Edoror announced that plenary will resume on Friday, 7th August 2020.
When contacted for reaction, the Clerk of Edo Assembly, Mr. CYaya Omogbai said; “I don’t talk to press, meet my PRO please.”
Minority Speaker of Edo Assembly, Frank Okiye, had raised the alarm over a planned hijack of the Assembly complex at the Ring Road in Benin.
Meanwhile, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the Sept. 19 Edo Governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has congratulated the newly-elected Speaker of the Edo Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, describing his emergence as the end of a deformed and lopsided democracy.
Hon. Victor Edoror of Esan Central constituency emerged Speaker on Thursday in an emergency plenary session attended by 17 elected members of the House of Assembly, while Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje of Akoko-Edo Constituency II was elected as Deputy Speaker.
The emergency plenary session impeached Hon. Frank Okiye and Roland Asoro as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively and nullified all previous actions taken by the 7th Assembly.
In a congratulatory message signed by Mr. John Mayaki, the Chairman of the APC State Media Campaign Council, Ize-Iyamu said the emergence of Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror as Speaker is a victory for Edo State and all constituencies previously denied representation.
He said: “I am happy to receive the news of the emergence of Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror as the Speaker of the Edo State House Assembly.”
“His emergence marks an end to a lopsided and deformed democracy, ushering in a new and reformed era of inclusive governance and non-discriminatory politics.”
“Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror’s emergence is also a victory for the people of Edo State, for the constituencies previously sidelined, and for the House-members’ elect who had been unfairly denied their elective right to represent their constituencies in government.”
“Personally, as someone who has known Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror for a long time, I am convinced by the great personality he is; I am sure that this joy sweeping across Edo as the shackles of tyranny breaks today, will not be temporary.”
“As a true democrat and a progressive, and as someone who came to leadership through and after a tomentous and elongated period of political persecution, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror knows the sour taste of injustice and as such would not let any one more Edo person experience such bitter tang.”
“Backed by an overwhelming majority, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror is demonstrably the people’s choice for the position. And it is in line with common sense that for an individual to sway such massive support, he must have demonstrated great qualities admired and necessary for leadership and development, and as such is being trusted with the enormous task of piloting the House from its darkest moments as cast into by the reprehensible divide-and-rule politics of the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki.”
“I send my congratulations to Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror while at the same time encouraging him to set a good example with the opportunity of leadership God has given to him today.”
Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, has revealed reasons his deputy, Yekini Idiaye, was impeached on Wednesday.
Okiye accused his deputy of plotting with leaders of the All Progressives Congress and the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, “to illegally and violently take over” the Assembly.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) had earlier reported that the Assembly impeached Idiaye during plenary on Wednesday and immediately replaced him with the member representing Orhionmwon II Constituency, Roland Asoro.
Idiaye and some lawmakers had on Monday pledged their support for the APC governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The Speaker, in an address aired via social media shortly after the impeachment of Ndiaye, called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to call members of his party to order.
The address was titled, ‘The Urgent Need To Call The Imo State Governor and Leaders Of APC In Edo State To Order Over Their Plan To Violently And Illegally Takeover The Edo State House Of Assembly’.
Speaking during the address, Okiye said, “We have it on good authority, the dubious plans by the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and the stakeholders of APC in Edo State to import a fake maze to take over the Edo State House of Assembly working in cohort with the former deputy speaker who recently declared his support for the governorship candidate of APC to congregate in a separate location to illegally and violently take over the Edo State House of Assembly as brought to our notice.
“And so, we call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari and the presidency to urgently call this governor and others working with him to execute this illegal plan to desist and allow the laws of the state to guide them.
“The state polity is already heated up by the political tension from the various electioneering campaign. Their planned action is likened to lightening a match in an already tensed political environment which conflagration is capable of causing crisis in the state and may scale beyond imagination.
“We call on Edo State people, whose mandate and interest the state legislature holds and protect, to rise against this attack and plot to subvert their will and subjugate them using external forces.
“We urge lovers of democracy across the world and institutions that uphold democracy and value, as well as pro-democracy groups to denounce this planned illegality that seems to distract a duly constituted authority.
The Speaker of Edo House of Assembly, Francis Okiye, on Tuesday said there was nothing unusual about the lawmakers backing the candidates of their choice for the Sept. 19 governorship poll in the state.
Okiye was reacting to the Monday endorsement of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Osgie Ize-Iyamu, by the Deputy Speaker, Yekini Idiaye, and two other members of the house.
The speaker in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Benin said: “It is imperative to state the actual position of things in Edo House of Assembly right now.
“It is not unusual for legislators and indeed politicians to engage in political re-alignments in this part of democracy like in Nigeria.
“That the Deputy Speaker and 2 other lawmakers chose to support the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is within their constitutional right,” he said.
According the speaker, the lawmakers said they merely declined moving to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chose to to work for the candidate of their party, the APC.
Okiye stated that the three lawmakers still remained members and part of the 10 lawmakers in the Edo house of assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the house had declared vacant, the seats of the 14 members of the house who were not sworn in, following the crisis that had bedeviled the house for years.
Hassana, the wife of former Edo Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba, who was abducted along the Lokoja-Abuja highway on Saturday, has been released.
She was kidnapped with the driver on her way to Auchi to bury Garuba, who died of undisclosed ailment in the early hours of Saturday in Abuja.
Hassana, her three children and aged mother of the late Speaker were travelling from Abuja for the burial when they ran into kidnappers at Kabba junction in Kogi state.
The kidnappers were said to have made away with the widow while leaving the three children and their grandmother.
But younger brother to the deceased Speaker told The Nation on Saturday night that Hassana has been released unhurt by her abductors.
He however said the whereabouts of the driver remained unknown.
Meanwhile, The Nation also gathered the remains of Garuba would be interred tonight in his Auchi residence.
A former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba, is dead.
According to sources, the former two-time member of Edo Assembly died of undisclosed ailment at an Abuja hospital Saturday morning.
Born on 23 August 1965, in Akpekpe community, Auchi, in Etsako West local government area of the state, Garuba studied law at the University of Ife, Ile Ife, Osun State (now Obafemi Awolowo University), and was called to Bar in 1990.
He was elected into the Edo State House of Assembly in 2003, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
While in the House, he served as chairman of the House committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters.
He was made Speaker in 2007.
His tenure as Speaker saw the transformation of the Assembly into a vibrant and progressive chamber.
After his exit from legislative duty, Zakawanu Garuba was appointed into the Board of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC to serve as the Executive Commissioner, Finance and Administration (now known as the corporate services directorate of the commission).
He holds the traditional titles of Oshiote of Auchi Kingdom and Okumagbe of Uzaire.
Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye, has revealed that he recovered from coronavirus (COVID-19) after 21 days in isolation without infecting anyone with the deadly virus.
Okiye, while speaking to journalist in Benin City, said all he did to prevent infesting his aides, family and friends with the disease was strict adherence to government guidelines, especially those on social distancing, compulsory use of facemasks, among others.
The speaker, who is the index COVID-19 case in Edo, is among the ten patients who have fully recovered and discharged after testing negative twice for the virus and treated with support from the state government. Some of the survivors were treated at the state’s isolation centres.
Okiye also urged residents to complement the state government’s efforts at checking the spread of the virus by making themselves available for the ongoing screening and testing in various centres across the state.
Okiye said, “I came into the country from London through the international airport, via the local airport, and down to Benin airport with my aides and moved to my house; I was in self isolation for about three weeks and none of my aides, family members, or friends was infested.
“That was made possible because we insisted on adherence to all precautionary measures including social distancing, regular hygiene, and sanitizing of the environment. I ensured that if you had anything to do with me, you must wear facemasks. I was an index case and didn’t infest anybody and I am certain that if we had ten people like that, the thing wouldn’t have spread as we have it today.”
“I want to appeal to you my brothers and sister to be part of this screening and testing exercise ongoing in various centres across the state as it will help to curtail the spread of this deadly virus. If you know you are infected, you become conscious so that you don’t have to infest other people. If you test negative, it gives you a clear idea of who you are; you then need to be more careful so that you don’t contract this deadly virus. The secret to winning this war is to get yourself screened. If everybody gets tested, we will be through with this episode in a very short time”, he added.
While expressing his appreciation to the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government and the state’s medical team, Okiye said, “Edo State under the leadership of Governor Obaseki has performed excellently in terms of management of this pandemic. Even before the state recorded the index case, they had put all structures on ground, increasing sensitisation and awareness against spread of the virus. The governor has continued to show that he is concerned about the health and wellbeing of all Edo people.”
The speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, has tested positive to Coronavirus.
Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, disclosed this Wednesday while briefing journalists.
As a result of close contact with the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Muhammed and Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, who have both tested positive for coronavirus, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has gone into self-isolation.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the governor has sent his samples for testing.
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