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The Edo State House of Assembly has dissolved all its standing committees and constituted a six-member ad hoc panel to investigate allegations of financial impropriety against its immediate past Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku.
The development came a day after Agbebaku resigned as Speaker amid mounting pressure for his removal and the emergence of Yekini Idaiye as his successor.
The Assembly, at its sitting on Tuesday, August 18, mandated the committee to investigate allegations surrounding the procurement of Lexus 570 sport utility vehicles and Toyota Hilux vans for lawmakers.
The allegations include claims that the prices of the vehicles were inflated.
The probe panel is chaired by Bright Iyamu, representing Orhionmwon II, while the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai, will serve as secretary.
Other members are Donald Okogbe (Akoko-Edo II), Andrew Uzamere (Ovia North-East II), Kingsley Ugabi (Etsako East) and Maria Edeko (Esan North-East II).
The Speaker directed the committee to submit its report within two weeks.
Agbebaku ordered to surrender vehicles
As part of the resolutions, the Assembly directed Agbebaku, former Majority Leader Jonathan Ibhamawu, Deputy Majority Leader Addeh Emankhu Isibor and the former Speaker's Chief of Staff to hand over all official vehicles and other Assembly property in their possession to the Clerk.
The decision followed allegations raised by the new Speaker, Idaiye, who accused the former leadership of financial impropriety, poor leadership and disruptions to legislative business.
Idaiye said the investigation was necessary to establish the facts surrounding the alleged inflation of the cost of the Lexus 570 vehicles and Hilux vans.
The new Speaker had, following his election on Monday, promised to reposition the Assembly and restore what he described as effective parliamentary practice.
He said the House should focus on lawmaking and oversight rather than allowing the interests of individuals to dominate its proceedings.
How Agbebaku left office
Agbebaku resigned during plenary on Monday after reports that lawmakers were preparing to remove him.
He told lawmakers that he had been asked to resign in the interest of peace and said he had decided to respect the decision.
“I was not born to be a speaker. I think today I am standing here as a hero,” Agbebaku said while announcing his resignation.
He also thanked Governor Monday Okpebholo for his support during his tenure.
Following his resignation, Idaiye was elected Speaker with 17 of the 24 votes cast and subsequently sworn in by the Clerk of the House.
Leadership shake-up
The change in speakership has also triggered a broader restructuring of the Assembly's leadership.
Sunday Ojezele replaced Jonathan Ibhamawu as Majority Leader, while Eugene Inegbeboh became Deputy Majority Leader in place of Addeh Isibor.
The changes followed a communication from the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
With the dissolution of all standing committees, the Assembly is now expected to reconstitute its committee structure under the new leadership.
The outcome of the six-member investigation will determine whether the allegations concerning the vehicle procurement are substantiated.
At this stage, the allegations remain claims under investigation, and no finding of wrongdoing has been established against Agbebaku.
The probe represents the first major test of Idaiye's pledge to introduce a new direction in the Edo Assembly following the abrupt end of Agbebaku's tenure.
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