Edo lawmakers impeach deputy speaker

The ongoing crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly took a new turn on Wednesday, as Honourable Festus Ebea, the deputy speaker who was earlier suspended for alleged misconduct, was impeached.

Sitting at the old chamber situated at the government house, 15 lawmakers, including the speaker of the house, Uyi Igbe, endorsed the impeachment, and then went ahead to elect Hon. Victor Edoror as the new deputy speaker.

Speaker Igbe accused his one-time deputy of rendering the main chamber inhabitable for legislative activities.

The lawmakers had resorted to a free-for-all that led to the disruption of plenary sittings for more than a month. But bent on executing the impeachment plan, the lawmakers relocated to the old chamber.

Majority leader of the house, Hon. Philip Shaibu, moved a motion that the old chamber should be used for plenary until the renovation works at the assembly are completed.

Ebea later described his impeachment as an act of impunity, accusing the executive of masterminding it.