Agbebaku has cited personal reasons for his resignation as the Edo Assembly Speaker.
Glamtush reports that the immediate past Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has said his resignation as Speaker of the Eighth Assembly was purely for personal reasons.
Agbebaku, in a statement made available by his media team, said he maintained a cordial working relationship with the 23 other members of the House throughout his tenure.
“Differences will naturally arise because we all have our individual identities and beliefs. However, that did not stop us from passing people-oriented bills and resolutions in the last three years of my leadership,” he said.
The former speaker said his decision to resign was taken in the interest of peace, the state, and his immediate constituency, Owan West.
He expressed appreciation to the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for his support and cooperation during his tenure, while reaffirming his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state.
Agbebaku urged his supporters to remain calm and continue to believe in the greater good and the development of democracy in Edo State.
He also congratulated the new Speaker, Yekini Idiaye, and other principal officers of the House, calling on all lawmakers to promote peaceful coexistence and unity in the discharge of their legislative duties.
Focus On Serving The People, Okpebholo Tells New Speaker
Meanwhile, Okpebholo has charged the new leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly to set aside personal differences and focus on serving the people, leveraging teamwork, transparency, unity, and humility.
The governor gave the charge on Monday when he received Idaiye, who represents Akoko-Edo Constituency 1. Okpebholo said political office was temporary and should be handled with humility and a strong sense of responsibility.
“We must put arrogance aside to serve our people better because today we are here, and tomorrow we don’t know where we will be,” the governor said.
He urged the new leadership to promote transparency, dialogue, and inclusiveness while advising lawmakers to resolve disagreements within the assembly rather than taking them to social media.
Governor Okpebholo noted that disagreements among lawmakers should be handled internally, adding that the emergence of a new leadership presented an opportunity for members to work together.
“It’s a new leadership. I don’t know what happened. Whatever must have happened in the House is for the House, and it remains there. I was also a parliamentarian, and I know that we respect one another,” he said.
He then reminded the new Speaker, Idaiye, of the responsibilities that come with his office and advised him to ensure that all members of the Assembly are included.
“It is not just to be a leader but a responsible leader. You are not just assuming a new office to be just an ordinary speaker. You should know that you are now carrying the shoulders of many people, and you have to be transparent with your colleagues. You have to carry everybody along,” he said.
“The only way you can have effective leadership is for you to carry everybody along,” Okpebholo said.
The Edo governor urged the new speaker to live up to the positive comments made about him by his colleagues.
“Everyone is saying good things about you. I want you to remain the way they have described you,” he said. “Teamwork is the bedrock of effective leadership. And for you to make progress, you need to believe in yourselves. When you have anything in mind, always voice it out either in private with the Speaker or in the open. Dialogue is always the key,” the governor added.
Okpebholo said he wanted the Assembly to remain peaceful, noting that the House had operated without a major crisis for about two years.
“I want us to have a peaceful house. For about two years, there have never been crises in the House. And I pray that in another two years, there will be no crises in the House,” he said.
With elections approaching, the governor urged the lawmakers to strengthen their presence in their constituencies and work towards electoral success.
“I pray that you people will take charge of your constituencies. Elections are coming. We have to work hard to see that we record success,” he said.
He also encouraged lawmakers who might not return to the assembly after the elections to remain optimistic, assuring them of continued cooperation.
“Those of you that are not coming back, don’t worry. We will work together. Sometimes, every disappointment is another appointment that can lead you to somewhere higher or greater,” Okpebholo said.
The new Speaker Idaiye said the new legislative leadership visited the governor to formally introduce itself and assure him of the Assembly’s support for his administration.
“Your Excellency, we are here this afternoon to formally introduce the new leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly to you and to inform you that with this new leadership, we are ready to stabilise the House,” the Speaker said.
Idaiye assured the governor that the assembly would provide the support needed to advance the state.
“And to ensure that we give you the maximum support because we are all proud of you. You are doing well. The only way you can continue to do well is to have the support of the House. We are there for you. Whatever you want us to do to move Edo forward, we are ready for it,” he said.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Yakubu Musa; Edo State APC Chairman Jarrett Tenebe; and members of the party’s State Working Committee.
