Edo Assembly Suspends Speaker, Francis Okiye

The Edo State House of Assembly has suspended its Speaker, Francis Okiye, for three months.

This follows Okiye’s impeachment by the Assembly on Monday, October 12.

According to reports, Okiye’s suspension was to allow for a peaceful transition.

Okiye, was impeached over alleged highhandedness and misappropriation of funds. His suspension comes barely one month to the inauguration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu for the second term.

The ex-speaker was impeached by nine of the 10 formally-inaugurated members of the Edo Assembly during a plenary session which lasted for some minutes.

There were also unconfirmed reports that Okiye would have been impeached last week but for the intervention of Obaseki.

The motion for his impeachment was moved by the majority leader, Henry Okhuarobo, seconded by Prince Yekini Idaiye representing Akoko-Edo constituency 1. The member representing Igueben constituency, Ephraim Aluebhosele, moved a motion nominating a new speaker, Marcus Onobun, seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo II constituency, Emmanuel Agbaje.

The deputy speaker, Roland Asoro, who presided over the plenary, after the impeachment of Okiye, put the motion to a voice vote and it enjoyed the support of all the members at the plenary.

The new speaker hailed the lawmakers on his election and announced the dissolution of all the Assembly’s standing committees while relieving all the appointees of the House of their appointments.