Edo North Conscience group demands Speaker Agbebaku’s impeachment after APC secures majority in the state House of Assembly

A group known as Edo North Conscience (ENC) has called for the impeachment of Hon. Blessing Agbebaku as Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly following the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s attainment of a majority status in the House.

Also read: Atiku criticises Tinubu’s State of Emergency in Rivers, calls it “Political Manipulation”

The call comes barely 24 hours after the state chapter of the APC informed Speaker Agbebaku and the Assembly that the party’s lawmakers now hold a majority.

The statement, which was signed by the group’s chairman, Mr. Oshioke Aledeh, and Secretary, Mr. Tunde Balogun, followed a stakeholders’ meeting and was released to newsmen in Benin City. The group cited the recent defection of four opposition members to the APC as the primary reason for their call to remove Agbebaku from office.

“With 13 members, APC now holds the majority in the House, while the PDP has 11 members. This gives APC an advantage in deciding the principal officers of the House,” the statement read.

“Last week, three PDP lawmakers and one Labour Party lawmaker defected to APC, thereby giving the party an edge. It is only right that the APC takes the position of Speaker and other principal offices in the House. We believe the process of removing Hon. Agbebaku should begin to pave the way for an APC Speaker.”

The group argued that Agbebaku’s continued leadership, despite being from the minority party, is not in the best interest of the state or the House. They further claimed that his loyalty still lies with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), despite his public alignment with Governor Monday Okpebholo.

“Despite pretending to be at home with Governor Monday Okpebholo, his loyalty is still with the PDP,” the statement added.

This call comes after the APC state leadership, on Tuesday, 18 March 2025, officially notified Agbebaku that the party had secured the majority in the Assembly.

Agbebaku confirmed the news during a session, acknowledging that the defection of four opposition lawmakers had resulted in APC’s majority status.

With the APC now holding the majority, the battle for key leadership positions in the Edo State House of Assembly is expected to intensify, as the political dynamics shift in favour of the ruling party. The group has vowed to pursue impeachment proceedings if the Speaker does not voluntarily step down.

Atiku Abubakar has condemned President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, calling it political manipulation and blaming the President for security breaches

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it “political manipulation and outright bad faith.”

Atiku, in a statement released on Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter), accused President Tinubu of being a “vested partisan actor” in the ongoing political unrest in the state.

Atiku suggested that the President’s administration either enabled or failed to prevent the escalating crisis in Rivers, further accusing Tinubu of negligence.

“His blatant refusal or calculated negligence in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful,” Atiku stated. He also condemned the security breaches in Rivers, which led to the destruction of vital national infrastructure, claiming the responsibility squarely lies with the President.

“If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility,” Atiku said, emphasizing that the federal government should be held accountable for its failures in the region.

The former Vice President went on to accuse Tinubu of using the situation in Rivers for political gain, stating that “punishing the people of Rivers State just to serve the political gamesmanship between the governor and Tinubu’s enablers in the Federal Government is nothing less than an assault on democracy.”

He described the situation as one that undermines the principles of democracy and should be condemned in the strongest terms.

Atiku also referenced the former peace achieved in the Niger Delta region under former President Umaru Yar’Adua, arguing that Tinubu’s administration has “thrown the region back into an era of violent unrest and instability.”

He claimed that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers represents a reversal of the progress made in the area, heightening the unrest and jeopardising the stability of the region.

In his call to action, Atiku urged Nigerians to reject what he termed a political scheme, asserting that the crisis in Rivers should not be manipulated for partisan interests.

His comments reflect growing concerns over the political implications of the emergency rule in Rivers and its potential impact on national unity.

Two PDP lawmakers, Husseini Jallo and Adamu Tanko, have defected to the APC citing instability within their former party as the reason

In a significant political shift, two members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also read: Nicholas Ossai defects to APC, claims PDP’s umbrella has broken down

The lawmakers, Husseini Jallo, representing Igabi Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, and Adamu Tanko, representing the Suleja/Tara/Gurara Federal Constituency in Niger State, cited ongoing instability within the PDP as their primary reason for the move.

The announcement was made on Tuesday during plenary, with Speaker Tajudeen Abbas reading out the defection letters. Jallo, in his letter, expressed that the persistent crisis within the PDP had made it increasingly difficult for him to effectively serve his constituents.

He stated, “Mr Speaker, your leadership style and my belief in the principle of national unity were taken into consideration while making this decision.” Jallo also explained that the APC provided a more stable platform that aligned with his political goals and aspirations.

Jallo’s defection marks the second time in recent weeks that a PDP lawmaker from Kaduna State has switched allegiance, following the earlier exit of Amos Magaji. This shift has raised eyebrows within the opposition, especially given the ongoing turmoil within the PDP.

Adamu Tanko also explained that his decision to join the APC came after extensive consultations with key stakeholders in his constituency. His move is seen as part of a broader political realignment in Niger State, which has seen a growing trend of defections from the opposition party.

The news of these defections sparked a heated exchange in the House, with the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, urging the House to declare the seats of the defecting members vacant. Chinda referred to a Supreme Court ruling, which mandates that defections be properly documented and declared complete.

He raised concerns that no evidence had been provided to confirm that the necessary legal procedures for the defection had been followed.

In response, Deputy Minority Leader, Ali Isa, underscored the importance of handling defections with seriousness. He called on Jallo and Tanko to withdraw their defection letters or face legal action.

Isa reaffirmed the strength of the PDP, stating, “There is no crisis in the PDP. The defecting members should resign and face fresh elections in their constituencies.”

Despite the controversy, the PDP remains determined to maintain its position as a strong opposition force in the National Assembly.

Both Jallo and Tanko’s defections are expected to have a ripple effect on the party dynamics, as the APC continues to gain ground in the House of Representatives.