Edo deputy speaker impeached

The Edo state house of assembly has impeached Victor Edoror, the deputy speaker.

Edoror was impeached on Monday over alleged corruption, misappropriation of funds and act capable of destabilising the house, after which he was suspended for three months.

Foly Ogedengbe, member representing Owan east, and Ganiyu Audu, from Etsako west 1 constituencies were also suspended for “unruly behaviour”.

Iyoha Osaigbovo, chief whip, moved the motion for impeachment.

“Mr. Speaker, there is an impeachment motion before me and duly signed by 16 members of the house,” Osaigbovo said.

“Members who signed have found the deputy Speaker to be corrupt and engaging in act capable of destabilising the house.”

Speaking with journalists, Kabiru Adjoto, the speaker, said: “We needed to have a new deputy speaker because of the excesses of the impeached deputy speaker.

“I and 20 other members of the house remain committed to the All Progressives Congress and cannot leave the party.

“We are even more committed to Governor Godwin Obaseki and the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.”

The immediate past speaker of the house, Justin Okonoboh, has been named the new deputy speaker.

Edoror was made speaker in 2015 and was impeached in 2016. He was made deputy speaker in 2017 when Okonoboh was removed as speaker. Both Edoror and Okonoboh are from Edo central senatorial district.