Blessing Agbebaku, the speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, has resigned.

Mr Agbebaku’s spokesperson, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, announced his resignation in a Facebook post on Monday.

“Edo assembly speaker, Rt. Hon Chief Blessing Agbebaku, resigns,” Ms Adodo-Ebojele wrote, adding that further details would be announced later.

Deputy speaker Jonathan Ibhamawu subsequently presided over plenary.

The reason for Mr Agbebaku’s resignation remains unclear, although there have previously been political tensions in the assembly.

Mr Agbebaku, representing the Owan West constituency, emerged as speaker in June 2023 on the Peoples Democratic Party platform and defected to the All Progressives Congress in May 2025.

In May 2024, the former speaker suspended three lawmakers over an alleged plot to impeach him and other principal officers.

He alleged that Donald Okogbe (PDP Akoko-Edo II), Bright Iyamu (PDP-Orhionmwon South), and Adeh Isibor (PDP-Esan North East I) were being used by some external forces to cause chaos and remove the leadership of the parliament.

The pronouncement sparked a rowdy situation at the parliament as lawmakers tried to challenge their suspension.

“Mr Speaker, you don’t have the right to unilaterally suspend any member of the House. You must call for votes,” the opposing legislators said. “Allow members to vote on the matter.”

However, the suspended members were later recalled.