State Assemblies Inaugurate, New Speakers, Others Elected

Segun James in Lagos, Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja, Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia, Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa and Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Five states of the federation, yesterday, inaugurated their Houses of Assembly for new sessions and elected presiding officers from among the lawmakers, as required by the constitution.

Section 105 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, provides that the person elected as governor of a state shall have powers to issue a proclamation for the holding of the First Session of the House of Assembly of the state concerned after his swearing in.

Upholding that constitutional charge, governors across the federation issued proclamations – some the night before and others on the morning of the inauguration day – which necessitated the start of new sessions of the legislatures.

Below were what transpired in some of the states, as the Assemblies were inaugurated and new leaderships were elected for new sessions, as captured by THISDAY.

LAGOS

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, was yesterday unanimously elected Speaker of the 10th Assembly of the state.

The election of Obasa marked a three-term consecutive tenure as leader of the Assembly. He was first elected as Speaker in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019 and, now 2023.

Elected, also unanimously, was Deputy Speaker, Hon Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, from Apapa Constituency I, while Noheem Adams from Eti-Osa Constituency I clinched Majority Leader seat.

Hon. Adedamola Kasunmu from Ikeja Constituency II was elected Deputy Majority Leader, while Hon. Mojeed Fatai from Ibeju-Lekki won the office of Chief Whip, and Deputy Chief Whip went to Hon. Setonji David from Badagry Constituency II.

Hon. Temitope Adewale, representing Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency I, nominated Obasa, and was seconded by Hon. Sylvester Ogunkelu, from Epe Constituency II.

Hon. Desmond Elliot (Surulere I) nominated Lasbat as Deputy Speaker, and was seconded by Hon. Tijani Suraju from Ojo Constituency II.

The 10th Assembly is composed of 20 returning members and 20 new members. The Assembly is made up of 40 members.

Out of the 40 members, 38 members are from All Progressives Congress (APC) and two are from Labour Party (LP).

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was at the assembly complex to declare the 10th Assembly open, also witnessed the election of the principal officers.

In a letter sent to Clerk of the Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, Sanwo-Olu stated that the first session of the 10th Assembly was proclaimed in line with the provisions of Section 105 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

KOGI

Following the proclamation of the Eighth Legislative House by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, the member representing Lokoja ll State Constituency, Aliyu Umar Yusuf, emerged the new speaker of the House of Assembly.

Aliyu was elected along with other principal officers to run the affairs of the Assembly for the next four years.

Enema Paul from Dekina Okura State Constituency was elected Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.

Their emergence followed the unanimous vote from lawmakers after the clerk, Chogugo Ahmed, read the proclamation letter sent by Bello to officially declare open the eighth Assembly.

Other elected principal officers were Suleiman Abdulrasaq, Okene I, Majority Leader; Seidu Amodu, Ofu, Deputy Majority Leader; and Asema Baba Haruna. Adavi, Chief Whip.

Bello Oluwaseyi (Kabba/Bunu) was elected Deputy Chief Whip; Idowu Ibikunle (Yagba/West) emerged Minority Leader Sunday Daku (Bassa) was elected as Deputy Minority Leader; and Bode Ogunmola (Ogori/Magongo) was elected Minority Whip.

NASARAWA

There was tension in Nasarawa State yesterday following the emergence of two speakers at the House of Assembly for the seventh session.

The immediate past speaker, Ibrahim Abdullahi (APC Umaisha/Ugya State Constituency) was elected by 11 members at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

On the other hand, Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi, representing Kokona East State Constituency, was elected by 13 members at the State Assembly complex.

THISDAY gathered that there was drama on the morning of the election, when the Assembly postponed indefinitely the inauguration of the 24 members earlier scheduled for 10am, citing insecurity.

It was also gathered that there was heavy security presence at the Assembly complex, which barricaded the entrance and prevented everyone, including the 13 members-elect, from gaining access to the premises.

However, in a twist later in the afternoon, the immediate past Speaker of the Assembly, Abdullahi, and 10 other members, reportedly, converged at the State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, where he was pronounced re-elected speaker of the seventh Assembly.

The 11 members also elected the member representing Nasarawa Eggon East State Constituency, Jacob Kudu, as Deputy Speaker.

The immediate past Speaker was nominated by Muhammed Adamu Omadefu, representing Keana State Constituency, and was seconded by Danladi Jatau of Kokona West State Constituency.

Acting Clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Ibrahim Musa, administered the oath of office.

Meanwhile, the 13 other members, sitting at the Assembly complex, elected Hon. Daniel Ogazi as the Speaker, and Hon. Mohammed Oyanki as his deputy.

BAYELSA

The member representing Brass Constituency 3, and immediate past Speaker of the sixth Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, was yesterday re-elected unopposed for a second term.

Ingobere, who is serving a fourth term as state legislator, was nominated by the member representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 2, Monday Bubou Obolo, and seconded by the member representing Sagbama Constituency 2, Bernard Kenebai.

The member representing Ekeremor Constituency 3, Michael Ogbere, was also re-elected unopposed as Deputy Speaker of the seventh Assembly.

Ogbere, who is serving his third term, was nominated by the member representing Brass Constituency 1, Charles Daniel, and was seconded by the member representing Kolokuma/Opokuma Constituency 2, Wisdom Fafi.

The speaker and deputy speaker were nominated shortly after the Clerk of the House, Mr. Tenedia Adogu, read the state governor’s letter of proclamation of the seventh Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

Governor Douye Diri, who was absent during the proceedings, had earlier in a letter read by the Clerk dissolved the sixth assembly.

The oath of office and allegiance was subsequently administered on the speaker and deputy speaker, as well as the other twenty-two members elect, by Clerk of the Assembly.

OSUN

Member-elect from Odo-Otin State Constituency, Hon. Adewale Egbedun, was yesterday elected Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.

The 38-year-old was elected Speaker of the eighth Assembly after he was nominated by Ibrahim Abiola of Irewole/Isokan constituency, seconded by Araoye Samuel.

At the inaugural sitting of the eighth Assembly, presided by Clerk of the Assembly, Mr Simeon Amusan, a member-elect from Ife North Constituency, Akinyode Oyewusi, emerged Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Babajide Kofoworola from Ede North Constituency was elected Majority Leader, Adekunle Oladimeji of Irepodun/Orolu Constituency was picked as Deputy Majority Leader, while Olawale Akerele from Ilesa West emerged was voted as Chief Whip and Afeez Ibrahim from Olaoluwa Constituency became Deputy Chief Whip.

Folorunso Ogundare, representing Ayedaade constituency, was elected Leader (West Senatorial District), and Kanmi Ajibola was elected as Leader (East Senatorial District), while Leader (Central Senatorial District) was Kasope Abolarin from Ifedayo State Constituency.

Immediate-past Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Femi Popoola, emerged Minority Leader, as the only member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the eighth Assembly.

The inaugural plenary was attended by Governor Ademola Adeleke , his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, and top government functionaries and dignitaries.