Lagos Speakership Position Throws Up More Intrigues

Ikuforiji

Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji

Yisa Jamiu

It is no news that Rt. Hon. Sabit Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the current Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly will not be coming back to the House. And speculations are rife concerning who will emerge as his successor, come May 29, when the state will be having a new governor, who though a seasoned civil servant,  lacks executive experience.

In the last general elections, the current Deputy Speaker, Kolawole Taiwo was expected to emerge the natural successor to Ikuforiji who would continue from were he stops.

But as fate would have it, he lost in the general elections,  throwing the speakership tussle wide open.

This development, as reliably  gathered, has thrown up a mix of mere pretenders and also serious minded contenders in the race. However, this takes nothing away from the fact that one of the key factors to be considered in choosing the next Speaker is to elect an individual who will be able to sustain the outstanding achievements Ikuforiji recorded in the House in the last 10 years.

Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji
Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji

In the next dispensation, the House requires a Speaker that will be able to guide the new governor away from political pitfalls, as well as foster unity among members.

As a result of this, Political analysts believe that under the next dispensation, zoning should not be a primary consideration.  Rather, competence and experience should be key.

The new assembly will converge in June with 12 new incoming members against 20 returning members with eight opposition party members who will only be too willing to work against the All Progressives Congress leadership in the House.

It is therefore important for the APC and the leadership of the House to get its rhythm right from the outset in order to achieve good governance and cordial executive-legislature interactions.

Among the serious and strongest contenders for the seat of the Speaker at the moment are; Funmilayo Tejuosho, Olanrewju Oshun, Sanai Agunbiade, Lanre Ogunyemi, Mudashiru Obasa and Rotimi Abiru.

Princess Adefunmilayo Tejuoso, Mushin 1: Tejuoso is the only female contender in the group and she is a very strong contender for the job.

She is brilliant, articulate and caps it up with needed legislative experience. Leading the Assembly will not be new to Tejuoso as she once served as Deputy Speaker in the Assembly and was in charge of proceedings in the absence of the Speaker.

Funmi also has gender advantage as a plus and to many she is well qualified to lead the Assembly on merit. She is one of the two fourth timers contesting for the position.

Lanre Ogunyemi, Ojo 2: Ogunyemi may be a second timer in the Assembly, but the experience he packs in his head as a party man, state officer and appointed officer since 1999 can never be matched by any member of the Assembly.

At a very tender age, Ogunyemi was elected the state Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy which ensured the re-election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the governor of the state in 2003.

After that, Ogunyemi was appointed Special Adviser to then Deputy Governor, Femi Pedro on Political and Legislative Matters.

His experience is thus second to none in the Assembly. It was no surprise that he fitted well  into the Assembly when he was elected in 2011.

Ogunyemi is suave, cerebral, articulate and was very active in the proceedings of the Seventh Assembly and nobody will raise an eyebrow if he eventually becomes the Speaker of the Assembly.

Sanai Agunbiade: Agunbiade hails from the two Ruling Houses in Ikorodu; the Rademo and Lasunwon Royal families. He attended Government Teachers Training College before proceeding to the then Lagos State College of Education (now Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Oto-Ijanjkin) where he studied Biology / Chemistry.

He taught Biology / Chemistry at Ikorodu High School before he resigned to further his educational career in Law at the Lagos State University after which he proceeded to Nigeria Law School.

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A former student Union President of the Lagos State University, Agunbiade is a brilliant lawyer and lawmaker who enjoys the respect and confidence of his colleagues. Although many of them are reluctant to speak up in his support for the speakership, they are all aware of his level of intelligence.

Mudasiru Obasa, Agege 1: Obasa is more than qualified to lead the Assembly. He is the current Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, a very sensitive and strategic committee.

The experienced Obasa is coming in as a fourth timer. Throughout his stay in the Assembly, he has been very active.

Before his present assignment, he was Chairman of another important committee, the Public Accounts Committee for Local Governments.

Obasa is one of the most respected lawmakers in the Assembly and commands much respect among his colleagues.

There is no doubt about the fact that Obasa is also a very strong contender for the job.

Moshood Olanrewaju Osun, Lagos Mainland 1: Osun is also a very strong contender. He boasts  experience as he is coming in for a third term and has a rich legislative background.

His elder brother, Wale Osun was the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives in the aborted Third Republic.

Osun is also a respected lawmaker in the Assembly and coming from the Lagos Central Senatorial District is an added advantage.

For the position of Speaker of the Assembly, Osun is not only qualified, he is also a very strong contender.

Rotimi Abiru, Somolu 2: Abiru has the distinction of being the only principal officer coming back to the Assembly.

Currently he is the Deputy Chief Whip of the Assembly.

Apart from this, Abiru is cool headed and possesses the necessary leadership quality to lead the Assembly. His experience cannot also be wished away as he is coming in as a third term lawmaker.

Abiru is also intelligent and  articulate and since his election into the Assembly in 2007, he has been one of the most active participants in the House.

Even among the staff of the Assembly, Abiru is well loved,  and his views are always respected by his colleagues.

Apart from this, Abiru is also regarded as a good manager of human and material resources. When the chips are down, Abiru can compete with anybody for the coveted position and come out unscathed.

Popularly called Barometer by his colleagues, it is an attestation to his ability to properly gauge the mood of the House and help douse tension. Abiru is the only returning Principal Officer of the House and enjoys huge respect and following from members, staff and even support staff.

The son of the legal luminary, late Justice Mubashiru Akanbi Olatunji Abiru of Ikorodu, who was also a Senator in the Second Republic, holds a Masters Degree in Chemistry from University of Lagos, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Lagos State University, (LASU) Lagos.

He has also attended some training workshops and seminars including those of the Leadership Institution Arlington Virginia, Harvard Kennedy School and the Judge Business School University of Cambridge.

His immediate elder brother,  Justice Habbeb Abiru is of the Court of Appeal, while another brother, Tokunboh Abiru was a commissioner of Finance in Lagos State, before resigning his position to return to his banking career.

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