The Edo State House of Assembly has made a significant leadership change by removing Hon. Natasha Osawaru Irobosa, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the partner of Nigerian music icon 2Face Idibia, from her position as Minority Leader. This decision comes as part of a larger reshuffling within the Assembly's leadership structure, which also saw the removal of other prominent PDP figures, including Hon. Charity Aiguobarueghian, the Majority Leader, and Hon. Yekini Idaiye, the Chief Whip.
Despite the sweeping changes affecting key PDP members, two notable PDP figures, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku and Hon. Maria Edeko, who serve as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, have managed to retain their positions. These changes come after a major political shift in the Assembly, in which four PDP lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), resulting in the PDP losing its majority in the House.
As a consequence of these defections and the loss of majority power, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Agbebaku, announced the appointment of Hon. Ibhamawu Jonathan Aigbokhan of the APC (Esan West) as the new Majority Leader. In addition, Hon. Addeh Emakhu Isibor (APC – Esan North-East I) has been appointed Deputy Majority Leader, while Hon. Lecky Hussein Mustapha (APC – Etsako West I) assumes the role of Chief Whip.
In the aftermath of these changes, the PDP is expected to present its own nominees for the key leadership roles within the House, although the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions remain unchanged for now. The reshuffling has stirred up political conversations across the state, as the balance of power in the Assembly shifts significantly in favor of the APC.