Nine out of the 10 members of the Edo State House of Assembly on Monday impeached and removed the Speaker, Francis Okiye, during plenary at the Assembly’s temporary chamber, located in the Government House, Benin.
The House is currently made up of seven members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and three members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okiye represents Esan North-East state constituency. The lawmakers elected Mr Marcus Onobun, representing Esan West constituency, as new Speaker, in Okiye’s place.
The motion for Okiye’s impeachment was moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Henry Okhuarobo, representing Ikpoba Okha state constituency.
His motion was seconded Yekini Idiaye, the member representing Akoko-Edo 1 constituency. The removal and replacement of the Speaker was carried out via a unanimous voice vote.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Roland Asoro, presided over the plenary shortly after the conclusion of the impeachment process.
Trouble started shortly after the House resumed plenary. Okiye asked the Clerk, Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai, to read the order of proceedings to the hearing of members in order to begin the business of the day.
But Okhuarobo raised a point of order to draw Okiye’s attention to a petition against him after which the lawmaker reeled out the impeachment motion.
In his acceptance speech, the new Speaker expressed gratitude to his colleagues for the honour done him.
He immediately announced the dissolution of all standing committees of the House and constituted a three-man committee to look into financial records of the House under the leadership of the ousted Speaker.
