… PDP Retains Speakership Position
By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Edo State House of Assembly has announced Jonathan Aigbokhan (APC–Esan West) as the new Majority Leader, following the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the majority party in the House.
This decision comes a month after the APC notified the Assembly of its new majority status in March and indicated that changes in the House leadership would be announced in due course.
The APC currently holds 13 seats after four lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party, reducing the PDP’s seats to 11.
The Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, during Monday’s plenary, read a letter from the APC leadership to intimate the lawmakers of the party’s nomination of new principal officers.
According to the letter, Aigbokhan was appointed as the new Majority Leader, Addeh Isibor as Deputy Majority Leader, and Mustapha Lecky as Chief Whip.
The position of Deputy Chief Whip, initially assigned to Richard Edosa (APC-Oredo West), was withdrawn as the House does not recognise such a position. Edosa, formerly the sole LP lawmaker, recently defected to the APC.
Meanwhile, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions remain occupied by members of the minority PDP.
Following the announcement of the new leadership, Speaker Agbebaku disclosed that the PDP would also submit its list of principal officers.
He emphasised that the distinction between majority and minority should not distract from the House’s collective responsibility to serve the state.
“What matters is that we all work together to ensure the success of Governor Monday Okpebholo,” Agbebaku said.
