A political storm is brewing in Edo State, as a group known as Edo North Conscience (ENC) has called for the removal of Speaker Rt. Hon Blessing Agbebaku from office. This development comes barely 24 hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC) notified the State House of Assembly of its intention to nominate new principal officers, effectively becoming the majority party in the house.
The ENC claims the Speaker should no longer hold office, citing the APC’s growing majority in the House and accusing him of past actions detrimental to the party.
The ENC’s stance was articulated in a communiqué released following a meeting held in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area. The group asserts that the APC’s efforts were instrumental in the recent electoral victory, stating that “members and leaders of the APC worked to ensure victory for the party and its candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo.”
The communiqué, signed by ENC Leader Oshioke Aledeh and Secretary Tunde Balogun, directly accuses the Speaker of undermining the APC during his rise to power. “Speaker orchestrated a brutal campaign that left APC members reeling in pain and discomfort during the tumultuous state assembly elections that paved the way for his ascension to power,” the statement reads.
Further fueling the call for his removal, the ENC alleges that APC members suffered significant harm due to the Speaker’s actions. “The ENC also recounted the harrowing tales of assault suffered by some prominent APC leaders and members in the hands of the Speaker and his army of thugs, resulting in multiple injuries and the loss of properties and other valuables,” the communiqué states. The group also alluded to past political tensions, referencing what they described as “deafening war-mongering songs from the PDP across the state prior to the September 21, 2024, election,” and a reported threat from former Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The ENC questions Agbebaku’s current position, stating that he “should [not] thrive where he sowed discord,” further alleging that he maintains loyalty to the PDP despite working with Governor Okpebholo.
Attempts to reach Speaker Agbebaku for comment were unsuccessful. Several calls to his mobile phone went unanswered, and a visit to his office revealed he was out of town. However, a senior aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, offered a brief statement: “It is only the members that can remove the speaker if they so desire and not any group.”
