Owan West must now ask whether political loyalty should continue to come before accountability
The political fall of former Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, has continued to generate reactions across Owan West, with Hon. Daniel Asekhame, former Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area and a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, describing the development as a moment for sober reflection among the people of the constituency.
In his reaction to the development, Asekhame argued that the controversy surrounding Agbebaku’s political career goes beyond the former Speaker personally, insisting that it raises wider questions about leadership, accountability and the quality of representation given to the people of Owan West.
According to Asekhame, Agbebaku had previously represented the constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly and had already experienced serious controversy during his earlier legislative tenure.
He recalled an incident in which Agbebaku was alleged to have been involved in a physical confrontation on the floor of the Assembly, during which he was accused of brandishing a battle axe and injuring fellow lawmaker, Hon. Philip Shaibu. Asekhame noted that the incident reportedly resulted in Agbebaku’s suspension from the House.
He further recalled that Owan West political leaders, including Hon. Johnson Abolagba, were said to have intervened during the crisis surrounding Agbebaku’s political future.
Despite the controversy, Asekhame said, the people of Owan West gave Agbebaku another opportunity to represent them.
That second opportunity eventually saw Agbebaku rise to the position of Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, a position which, according to Asekhame, required maturity, fairness, discipline and strong commitment to public service.
However, Asekhame argued that the second tenure again became surrounded by controversies.
He referenced allegations of financial mismanagement, abuse of office, nepotism, favouritism and poor performance, stressing that such allegations must not be treated as established facts until they are properly investigated and determined by competent authorities.
“The allegations are serious and should be properly investigated,” Asekhame maintained in his opinion, while also acknowledging that every person accused of wrongdoing deserves due process and an opportunity to respond.
For the former Owan West council chairman, the recent political crisis involving Agbebaku should therefore serve as a warning to both politicians and voters.
He argued that the issue should not be reduced to the removal of one individual from political office, but should instead trigger a wider conversation about how Owan West chooses its representatives.
Asekhame said Owan West deserves political representation that will inspire confidence, attract development and protect the interests of constituents rather than repeatedly becoming associated with political controversies.
He also warned against allowing political loyalty to replace accountability.
According to him, elected offices should not be regarded as permanent rewards for politicians, stressing that every mandate belongs to the people.
Asekhame further argued that voters must become more deliberate when selecting those who will represent them at the Edo State House of Assembly and other levels of government.
While acknowledging that Agbebaku was given a second opportunity by the people, Asekhame questioned whether the constituency should consider giving him another opportunity in the future.
“In my opinion, they should not,” he stated.
He called for the emergence of what he described as a new generation of political leaders in Owan West who would put constituency interests above personal ambition, factional politics and political patronage.
According to him, the constituency needs representatives who can actively participate in lawmaking, attract meaningful development, defend the interests of constituents and leave behind a record of service.
Asekhame said the controversy surrounding Agbebaku should therefore not simply be remembered as the fall of one Speaker, but as a lesson for the political class and electorate.
He maintained that the mandate of the people is a sacred trust and that elected representatives must continuously justify the confidence placed in them.
The former council chairman also stressed that the allegations raised against Agbebaku must be subjected to proper investigation and due process.
Where the allegations are established, he said, the appropriate legal and administrative consequences should follow. Where they are found to be false, Agbebaku should have the opportunity to clear his name.
His central argument, however, is that regardless of the eventual outcome of the allegations, Owan West must learn from the political crisis and become more deliberate about the calibre, character and capacity of those it sends to the legislature.
The reaction from Asekhame adds another political dimension to the growing conversation around the change of leadership in the Edo State House of Assembly and the wider question of political representation in Edo North.
IBN NEWS notes that the views and allegations contained in this report are attributed to Hon. Daniel Asekhame and should not be interpreted as independently established findings by IBN News. The allegations remain subject to verification and due process.
