Owan Stakeholders Condemn Agbebaku’s Exit, Demand End to Marginalisation

Concerned citizens, community stakeholders and political advocates from Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas of Edo State have condemned what they described as the “forced resignation” of Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku as Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, alleging that his removal was the result of executive intimidation and political pressure.

The group, in a statement signed by Hon. Gordie Aigbodion (Esq) on behalf of concerned citizens, community leaders and youth coalitions in the two local government areas, said Agbebaku’s exit represented not only a setback for the Owan people but also a threat to the independence of the legislature.

The stakeholders alleged that the circumstances surrounding the former Speaker’s departure amounted to an attempt by the Executive arm of government to interfere with the affairs of an independent legislative institution.

“The Owan Nation, across Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas, registers its profound discontent, outrage, and outright rejection of the orchestrated removal and forced resignation of our illustrious son, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, as the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly,” the statement said.

According to the group, the allegations and political developments that preceded Agbebaku’s resignation should not be used as justification for undermining the constitutional independence of the legislature.

It alleged that the former Speaker’s removal was “characterized by backroom intimidation, executive armtwisting, and the rapid fielding of trumped-up allegations of corruption and high-handedness,” describing the development as “a clear subversion of legislative independence and democratic principles.”

The stakeholders acknowledged that political disagreements and manoeuvring were part of parliamentary politics but argued that executive intervention in the leadership of the legislature crossed a constitutional line.

“While political maneuvering is not alien to parliamentary politics, the heavy-handed intervention of the Executive arm to unilaterally compel the exit of the head of an independent legislature undermines constitutional checks and balances and reduces a co-equal branch of government to a mere rubber stamp,” they said.

While mounting a strong defence of Agbebaku, the Owan stakeholders said their position should not be interpreted as an unconditional endorsement of every decision taken by the former Speaker.

They said public officials should be held accountable where credible allegations of wrongdoing are established, but insisted that accusations should be subjected to appropriate investigation rather than being used as a political instrument.

“Let our position be clear to all well-meaning citizens: we do not harbor, condone, or encourage corrupt practices by any public office holder, nor do we offer a blanket endorsement of every political strategy or administrative procedure adopted by Rt. Hon. Agbebaku during his tenure,” the statement said.

The group, however, maintained that Agbebaku’s accomplishments while in office should not be disregarded because of political disagreements.

“However, fairness demands that achievements must not be erased to justify political vendettas,” it added.

Among the achievements attributed to Agbebaku were constituency outreach and development initiatives in Owan West and other parts of Edo North, efforts to maintain legislative continuity during periods of political transition, and the consideration of state appropriation frameworks.

The stakeholders also credited the former Speaker with ensuring what they described as the continued representation and visibility of Owan interests in the state’s highest political decision-making processes.

They argued that allegations of corruption should be properly investigated before being relied upon as grounds for political removal.

“To weaponize unproven claims of corruption solely as a convenient pretext for political ouster—while bypassing due administrative investigation—is disingenuous and unacceptable,” the group declared.

Beyond Agbebaku’s removal, the statement broadened its criticism to what the stakeholders described as a longstanding pattern of political marginalisation of the Owan people.

The group argued that Owan West and Owan East had historically received less political representation and access to major political offices and government resources compared with other parts of Edo North.

It described this situation as the “Lesser Sub-Zone Syndrome,” alleging that political power, major executive tickets and key federal allocations within Edo North had been concentrated among other neighbouring ethnic groups.

The statement further alleged that Owan people had been excluded from consideration for the governorship of Edo State for decades, despite their contributions to the political development of the state.

“For decades across both military and democratic dispensations, no Owan son or daughter has been considered for the governorship seat, and top-tier political positions allocated to the zone have regularly been stripped away at the slightest political inconvenience.” 

“Whenever an Owan indigene rises to a position of constitutional prominence—such as the Speakership—they face heightened scrutiny, internal subversion, and swift removal, cutting short their capacity to deliver meaningful governance to our people,” the statement said.

The group maintained that Agbebaku’s departure should therefore be viewed within what it described as the broader struggle for political inclusion and equitable representation for Owan people.

The stakeholders also issued a political warning to the Edo State Government and political actors in Benin City, stressing that Owan voters would remember how their representatives were treated.

“We send an unequivocal, firm message to the Executive Governor of Edo State and political actors in Benin City: Owan votes are not mere election-day collateral,” the statement said.

“Owan West and Owan East have consistently delivered solid, lawful votes that determined past and present electoral victories in Edo State,” the group said.

It therefore demanded an end to what it called “disrespect, tactical disenfranchisement, and political bullying” of Owan elected representatives.

The statement warned that political leaders who ignore the concerns of the electorate risk facing consequences at the ballot box.

“Any administration that treats our constituency with disdain should remember that political relevance is tested at the ballot box, and the Owan electorate will remember this slight when democratic choices are next demanded,” the stakeholders said.

The group’s most immediate demand was directed at Owan traditional rulers, elders, community organisations and political leaders, whom it urged to take a more active role in defending the political interests of the area.

“To our respected Royal Fathers, traditional custodians, senior elders, community associations, and political leaders across Owan land: the silence must end now.

“Break the Silence: Complacency in the face of continuous humiliation is an invitation for further exclusion. Our traditional rulers, as custodians of our cultural heritage and moral conscience, must formally articulate the grievances of the Owan people and speak truth to power.

“Political leaders across partisan divides (APC, PDP, LP, and others) must realize that when one Owan leader is bullied and stripped of office unfairly, it diminishes the collective voice and bargaining power of the entire ethnic nationality,” they said.

At the centre of the group’s demands is the immediate organisation of an all-Owan stakeholders’ summit.

“We demand the urgent convening of an emergency summit of all Owan socio-cultural and political leadership to map out defensive political strategies, demand structural reparations, and ensure our people are never again sidelined in the governance of Edo State,” the stakeholders said.

The allegations and characterisations contained in the statement reflect the position of the signatories, while the Edo State Government has consistently made it clear on various occasions that all senatorial districts, local government areas and political wards in the state will receive equal treatment in terms of appointments and the provision of infrastructural facilities.