By Abigail David

By Abigail David

The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from his position amid reported moves by some lawmakers to impeach him.

Agbebaku’s resignation was confirmed on Monday by his media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, in a Facebook post.

She wrote, “Edo Assembly Speaker Rt Hon Chief Blessing Agbebaku resigns.”

No official reason was immediately given for the Speaker’s resignation, while further details about the circumstances surrounding his decision are expected to be released.

The development has plunged the Edo State House of Assembly into a fresh leadership crisis, with lawmakers expected to begin moves to elect a new Speaker.

Agbebaku’s exit comes amid reported disagreements within the Assembly and efforts by some lawmakers to remove him from office.

By Abigail David

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has called for peace and unity following his re-election, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it is reviewing the results before deciding whether to challenge the outcome in court.

Adeleke, who contested on the Accord Party platform, was declared winner of Saturday’s governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He polled 511,067 votes to defeat APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.

The governor won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11. African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam came third with 17,180 votes.

President Bola Tinubu congratulated Adeleke, saying the result reflected the confidence voters placed in the governor. He urged him to use his second term to unite residents and promote development regardless of their political affiliations.

In his victory remarks, Adeleke extended an olive branch to his opponents and pledged to govern all residents of the state.

He also urged traditional rulers and community leaders to promote peace and prevent post-election violence, particularly after tensions and reported attacks during the campaign.

Adeleke said his administration would build on its achievements, address its shortcomings and pursue accelerated development under his renewed five-point agenda.

The governor also thanked Tinubu for supporting what he described as a credible and peaceful election and reaffirmed his endorsement of the President for the 2027 presidential election.

APC Reviews Results

The Osun APC said it was studying results from the state’s 332 wards before deciding on its next step.

The party said it would consult its legal team and consider all options provided under the Electoral Act, including a possible tribunal challenge.

The APC also urged its supporters to remain calm and avoid actions that could provoke violence.

ADC Seeks INEC Explanation

The ADC congratulated Adeleke but called on INEC to explain what it described as an almost four-hour interruption in the uploading of polling-unit results to the IReV portal during the election.

The party said the delay raised concerns about the transparency of the process, although it did not provide evidence that INEC deliberately halted the uploads.

ADC candidate Najeem Salaam separately congratulated Adeleke, saying the electorate had spoken and that democracy had prevailed.

Salaam urged the governor to use his second term to improve areas where his administration had fallen short and work towards greater peace, security and development across Osun State.

By Abigail David

The spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his role in ensuring a credible governorship election in Osun State.

Olajengbesi made the statement on Sunday shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of the August 15 election.

According to the campaign spokesperson, Tinubu called Adeleke to congratulate him before INEC formally announced the result.

Olajengbesi said the President’s alleged gesture demonstrated that political contests should not be treated as a do-or-die affair.

He also praised security agencies and the electorate, saying the election reflected the will of Osun voters.

Adeleke, who contested on the Accord Party platform, polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest rival, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.

The governor won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11. African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam finished third.

Olajengbesi said Adeleke’s victory represented a renewed mandate from the people and praised supporters for remaining committed to the governor during the campaign.

The election had been preceded by allegations and counter-allegations between the Accord Party and APC over security, political violence and electoral conduct.

Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate allegations of vote-buying, voter intimidation, violence and other electoral offences linked to the election.