Race For Lagos Speakership Begins

With the conclusion of the 2015 general elections across the country except for few states where there would be re-run elections in some categories, the next item on the agenda is the election of principal officers of the state assemblies, when they are inaugurated in June, 2015. Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani writes on the race for the Speakership of the Lagos State House of Assembly

For the Lagos State House of Assembly, electing the next Speaker might not be as easy as it may appear.

The calculation of most keen watchers of events and the assumed plan of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has since produced 32 out of the 40 members of the Assembly as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won eight seats, had been that the out-going Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Musibau Kolawole Taiwo (HKT) from Ajeromi Ifelodun Constituency 01 would be the next Speaker of LSHA as he has been a member of the Assembly since 1999, when the new democratic dispensation in the country started.

It was gathered that he was being positioned by the leadership of the House as the most experienced lawmaker in the Assembly, who has paid his dues since the current Speaker of the House, Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji, who contested for the governorship position of the state at the primaries level, would not be returning to the House.

But, this has since changed as HKT painfully lost his seat to the PDP candidate in the area, Mr. Dayo Famakinwa, who reportedly had bulk votes from a ward in Ajegunle area of the constituency thus nullifying the results from other wards, where Taiwo was having upper hand.

With the defeat of Taiwo, ranking lawmakers, especially those from Lagos Central Senatorial District, which is said to be favoured to produce the next Speaker of the Assembly, are said to be warming up for the contest.

The calculation, sources said, is that since the Governor-elect, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode is from Lagos East Senatorial District and the Deputy Governor-elect, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, is from Lagos West, then it is automatic that the Speaker of the Assembly should come from Lagos Central.

Investigations revealed that Taiwo would have been given a waiver on this, but that the opportunity has now eluded him and the party leadership are said to be getting set to go the way of the assumed calculation.

Those close to the lawmakers revealed that some of the contenders for the plum job are Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti Osa Constituency 2), Hon. Moshood Oshun (Lagos Mainland 2), Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, Ikorodu 1 in Lagos East, Hon. Dayo Saka Fafunmi from Ifako/Ijaiye 1 in Lagos West, Hon. Rotimi Abiru (Shomolu 1, Lagos East) as well as Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho (Mushin 1, Lagos West).

One other name that is on the card is that of the lawmaker elect from Lagos Island Constituency 1, Hon. Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun.

However, the issue with Eshinlokun is that his candidature is being challenged by the incumbent lawmaker from the area, Hon. Akeem Masha, who had protested against the election of Eshinlokun at the primaries.

Wasiu Eshinlokun was in the Assembly from 1999 to 2003 before he left to become the Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government. His name came into public domain last year as the candidate from the area, who would become the next Speaker of the Assembly as it has been zoned to Lagos Central, where he came from. He was even said to have told those close to him that his main agenda of going to the House is to become the Speaker as the leadership of the party has told him to get set for the job.

Hon. Yishawu Gbolahan, who is going to the Assembly for a second term, is said to be a top contender for the post based on the fact that he is from Lagos East Senatorial District and his brilliant performance in the 7th Assembly.

Apart from initiating a Bill on Anti-Smoking, which has since become a law, Yishawu is said to be one of the most performing lawmakers in the Assembly, who contributes brilliantly to debates and has come up with many progressive motions despite the fact that he has just spent a term in the House.

For Hon. Moshood Olanrewaju Oshun, the argument of those that are supporting him is that he is a ranking member of the House, who has been in the Assembly since 2007.

Oshun, who happens to be the Chairman, House Committee on Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs, is seen as someone that has learned much about legislative matters over the years and who has travelled all over the state in the course of performing his oversight functions in his committee. His opponents are however saying that he might have problems with some of his colleagues, who feel the position might be too demanding for him.

Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho is not new to the business of law-making in the state. She got into the House in 2003 and she was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the House during her second term of office in 2007, but she was impeached over issues bothering on gross misconduct in August 2009.

One lawmaker that we can call an engine room of the House is Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, who was recently awarded as the Best Lawmaker At Plenary by the correspondents covering the House under the auspices of Lagos State House of Assembly Correspondents Association (LAHACA).

The pendulum might also swing in the direction of Hon. Dayo Saka Fafunmi from Ifako/Ijaiye Constituency 1. Fafunmi has been in the Assembly since 2007 and he has been one of the assets of the Houseover the years. Son of a politician, Fafunmi also contributes brilliantly to debates and he is the Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) Local through which he has worked for the development of the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas across the state.

The last man standing amongst the principal officers in the House, Hon. Rotimi Abiru, is also being considered for the job. Abiru, who has, won election into the House for the 3rd term, used to be seen as the barometer of the House based on the way he articulates issues, which changes the directions of debates. He is from Lagos East .

The whole thing appears to be dicey at the moment, but the issue would definitely be sorted in the coming days or weeks and it would certainly be what and how the leadership of the APC wants it to be.

Certainly, they would have no choice, but to carry the elected lawmakers along so that the House can work in tandem with the in-coming government to further make Lagos State the centre of excellence.