Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, speaker of the Edo state house of assembly, has resigned from his role amid alleged moves by members of the assembly to impeach him.

Ivy Ebojele, Agbebaku’s media aide, confirmed his resignation in a Facebook post on Monday, but said further details would be communicated in due course.

“EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS. DETAILS LATER,” she wrote.

Yekini Idaiyi, member representing Akoko Edo II constituency, has reportedly been sworn in as new speaker of the house.

Agbebaku, who represents Owan west constituency, was elected speaker of the eighth assembly in June 2023.

His troubles began in the house in May 2024, shortly after he suspended three lawmakers over an alleged plot to impeach him and other principal officers.

The embattled speaker was said to have linked his alleged impeachment plot to external influence and claims that charms and ritual items were being brought into the assembly complex.

Photo caption: Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara (7th from left); Chairman, Reconciliation Committee of Rainbow Coalition, Sen Magnus Abe (6th from right); Governorship candidate of the APC in Rivers State, Hon Kingsley Ogundu Chinda (fifth from right) and other members of the Committee during their visit to Government House, Port Harcourt on Sunday.

Less than two weeks after they met River State Governor at the Government House Port Harcourt, members of the  Reconciliation Committee of the Rainbow Coalition, has again met Sir Siminalayi Fubara where they pledged that none of its members, no matter their past political disagreements, would be victimised or discriminated against in the current moves to achieve peace and full restoration of the political family.

The committee made the pledge
on Sunday after meeting the Governor, saying under the new atmosphere of peace and reconciliation, everybody will be treated equally, respectfully and as a member of the original political family.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Magnus Abe said the meeting was meant for the hitherto estranged political leaders to deliberate further on the modalities for the ongoing peace and reconciliation moves. The committee was set up by the leader of the group, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and a former Governor of Rivers State.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Abe said the committee has been holding several meetings to work out modalities on how all its members will work together. He said the explanation had become necessary because the committee wants the people of Rivers State to be aware of the new direction in which the state is moving.
“I’m sure that Rivers people will be very curious to understand exactly what we have been talking about. So, I know that this will be very good news for all Rivers people who are interested in the unity, progress and prosperity of Rivers State. We are all in agreement and we have made very good progress.

“Our coming together signals a significant shift in the political atmosphere of the state and we believe that all well meaning Rivers people will be very happy to see that finally, the peace that all Rivers people crave for is here,” he said.

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South -South Zone, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, who was part of the delegation expressed appreciation to Governor Siminalayi Fubara for throwing his doors open and allowing the committee to meet and talk with him as brothers.

“I’m so excited. The last meeting went well. Today’s meeting went extraordinarily well and it shows clearly to the people of Rivers State that the family is back; sincerely back and soon, they will see the working of the Rainbow Coalition. We will give the people of Rivers State the dividends of democracy they’ve been expecting from all angles,” Nwanosike said.

A statement by Onwuka Nzechi, Chief Press Secretary to the River State Governor, has itvthAnother stakeholder at the meeting, Chief Ambrose Nwuzi said members of the group who believe in Governor Siminalayi Fubara have agreed to make peace, as there was nothing better than peace. He described the disagreements of the past as a normal occurrence in any human society.

“Our leader has spoken and our overall leader has equally spoken and accepted that there is need for all of us to reconcile. I can tell you that we have reconciled. All that we are waiting for is for the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to put the seal on the reconciliation process which has been going on for the past few weeks,” he said.

Other members of the delegation included the governorship candidate of the APC in Rivers State, Hon Kingsley Ogundu Chinda and Mr Tamosisi Gogo Jaja amongst others.

Lagos Nigeria, The Forgiven Volunteers, a humanitarian and volunteer initiative championed by Pastor Jude Chinwe Nwoko, Resident Pastor of This Present House, Lekki, Lagos, has extended its outreach to inmates at the Lagos Kirikiri Correctional Facility as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable and underserved communities.

The visit, which brought together Pastor Jude and members of the Forgiven Volunteers, featured a combination of worship, motivational engagement, humanitarian support and personal interaction with inmates.

The Forgiven Volunteers initiative is an offshoot of Pastor Jude Nwoko’s ministerial calling and was established following the launch of his book, *Forgiven*, on June 21, 2026. The initiative seeks to promote , restoration, redemption, reconciliation and practical support for individuals and communities in need.

The Kirikiri outreach marks another phase of the group’s ongoing engagement with correctional facilities across Lagos. It follows previous visits to the Male Ikoyi Custodial Centre and the Female Correctional Centre in Apapa, further demonstrating the group’s commitment to reaching inmates across the correctional system.

The programme commenced with a brief worship session, followed by motivational and interactive sessions. A particularly emotional moment came when inmates were given the opportunity to share personal accounts of the circumstances that led to their incarceration.

One inmate, who requested anonymity, shared her experience with Pastor Jude and the team and advocated for alternative approaches to handling minor offences. She suggested that individuals serving short sentences for less serious offences could, where appropriate, be considered for community service as a form of corrective intervention. According to her, such an approach could help reduce congestion within correctional facilities.

Her account, which was both emotional and reflective, prompted further conversations about rehabilitation, reintegration and the need to provide inmates with opportunities to rebuild their lives.

Pastor Jude commended the correctional officers and personnel on duty for their service and commitment to managing the facility. He also called for stronger collaboration between correctional institutions, private organisations, volunteers and other stakeholders in the areas of vocational development, advocacy and rehabilitation.

He noted that increased collaboration could help raise public awareness about the realities facing inmates while creating additional opportunities for skills development, rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Pastor Jude further advocated for greater consideration of private-sector participation in correctional services, particularly through properly regulated partnerships that could complement existing government efforts and help address the growing demands placed on correctional facilities.

The humanitarian outreach also included the provision and distribution of essential resources to inmates. Members of the Forgiven Volunteers presented copies of Pastor Jude Nwoko’s *Forgiven* book to the inmates, alongside the opportunity for direct interaction, dialogue and the sharing of personal experiences and concerns.

The outreach reinforced the message that incarceration should not eliminate hope or human dignity. Through its continued engagements, the Forgiven Volunteers aims to contribute to a culture of compassion, rehabilitation and second chances for individuals within correctional facilities.

The initiative’s continued visits to correctional facilities across Lagos reflect its broader vision of combining faith, humanitarian service and practical advocacy to positively impact lives and communities.