Barely 24 hours after the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wrote to the State House of Assembly indicating its interest in nominating new principal officers having become the party with the majority members in the house, a group, Edo North Conscience (ENC) on Wednesday said the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku should no longer continue in office as the Speaker.

They also said that in addition to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) becoming the minority party in the house, there are members and leaders of the APC who worked to ensure victory for the party and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo.

Recall that four members; one from Labour Party (LP) and three from the PDP last week defected to the APC which now makes APC the majority party with 13 members in the 24 member-house while the PDP now has 11.

The ENC position was contained in a communiqué issued after their meeting in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area.

The communiqué which was signed by the group’s Leader, Oshioke Aledeh and Secretary, Tunde Balogun said the “Speaker orchestrated a brutal campaign that left APC members reeling in pains and discomfort during the tumultuous state assembly elections that paved the way for his ascension to power.

The ENC also recounted the harrowing tales of assault suffered by some prominent APC leaders and members in the hands of the Speaker and his army of thugs, resulting in multiple injuries, and loss of property and other valuables.

These, the group added are in addition to the deafening war-mongering songs from the PDP across the state prior to the September 21 2024, election with erstwhile Governor, Godwin Obaseki “threatening to burn down the entire country if attempts are made to arrest notable and arrant political thugs traceable to the PDP.”

They therefore questioned why Agbebaku should thrive where he sowed discord alleging that the Speaker still owed his loyalty to the PDP while pretending to be at home with the incumbent Governor Okpebholo.

Several calls to the Speaker’s number for his response were not picked and checks at his office indicated that he was out of town but a senior aide who does not want to be mentioned simply said: “It is only the members that can remove the Speaker if they so desire and not any group.”