Caption: The newly elected Deputy Speaker, Victor Edoror, being sworn-in ‎by the Speaker, Uyi Igbe

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly took a new turn on Wednesday as 15 lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress, APC, impeached the suspended Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, and immediately replaced him with Victor Edoror, representing Esan Central constituency.

The impeachment ceremony took place at the old assembly complex inside the Edo State Government House as a result of the ongoing renovations at the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly.

Ebea was impeached on allegations of misconduct and misdemeanour in a plenary presided over by the Speaker of the House, Uyi Igbe.

The impeachment of the suspended Deputy Speaker followed a motion moved by the chief whip of the House, Foly Ogedengbe,‎ representing Owan East constituency, which was seconded by Patrick Asowerien, representing Orhionmwon
constituency 1.

The election of Victor Edoror as the Deputy Speaker was sequel to a motion moved by Bamidele Oloruntoba, representing Akoko- Edo constituency 1 and seconded by Sunday Osazemwinde representing Ovia North East constituency
1.

The suspended Deputy Speaker, while reacting to his impeachment, said the Edo State government and the APC lawmakers were thriving on illegality.

The Minority Leader of the House, Emma Okoduwa, who also reacted to the impeachment, said the action of the APC lawmakers negated the constitutional provision that has to do with the impeachment of a Deputy Speaker.

He noted that the Deputy Speaker can only be impeached by the two-third majority of the House and that the 15 APC lawmakers cannot be said be two-third majority in accordance with the constitutional
provision.

However, there was a mild drama in the House as Bright Osayande, representing Ovia North East 11 threatened to stage a walk out of the sitting, following the refusal of the House to consider the report of the committee which he heads.

Osayande, chairman, committee on Public Account, had presented a report to the House for consideration as a committee of whole but some lawmakers said it was defective and needed some corrections.

Suggestion by some other lawmakers that the report be stepped down for a later day infuriated Osayande who
angrily dropped the report and got up to walk out of the sitting.

The enraged lawmaker was, however, calmed down following intervention by the Speaker of the House, Uyi Igbe, Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu and others.