Edo Speaker Yekini Idaiye Affirms Financial Autonomy

Yekini Idaiye, the new Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, has responded to concerns regarding recent amendments to laws governing the finances of the state legislature and judiciary. Protests erupted last week as workers expressed fears that the proposed repeal of financial autonomy would undermine the independence of these branches of government.

Financial autonomy was established in 2023 during the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki. The controversy arose from the inclusion of two bills in the Order Paper for the plenary session on August 19, 2026, aimed at repealing the Edo State Judiciary Financial Autonomy Law, 2023, and the Edo State House of Assembly Funds Management Law, 2023.

Idaiye clarified that the amendments do not eliminate financial autonomy but rather address the management of capital funds, which he claimed had been mismanaged. He assured that recurrent funds would continue to be allocated to both branches and that workers' salaries would remain unaffected.