Encomium
In democracies all over the world, the legislative arm of government is the only one that allows unlimited tenure.
A member can return as many times as his constituency elects him. This grace of being elected for as many times as possible is what some members at the state and National Assembly are enjoying today that they have been termed as veterans of legislative arm of government.
The doyens of legislative arm from Lagos State include the following…
HON. MUDASHIRU AJAYI OBASA
The incumbent Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly leads the pack of doyens of legislative arm.
He was first elected into Lagos House of Assembly in 2003, to represent the good people of Agege Constituency 1. He has been returned three times since then. This is what earned him the sobriquet, Agege 1. Rt. Hon, Obasa is a lawyer.
HON. FEMI GBAJABIAMILA
The Majority Leader of House of Representatives, is another lawmaker that has enjoyed the luxury of being elected by his constituency four times.
Since 2003, the America trained lawyer has been representing the good people of Surulere Federal Constituency 1.
In the course of his almost 14 years in the Green Chamber, his colleagues elected him Minority Leader (2011-2015) and Majority Leader (2015- to date).
SENATOR SOLOMON OLAMILEKAN ADEOLA, a.k.a Yayi
Is the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial district, the largest in the country.
Senator Adeola started his parliamentary career in 2003, when he was elected to the Lagos House of Assembly to represent Alimosho Constituency II. He was elected in 2007 to represent the same constituency.
Members of his constituency did not disappoint him in 2011, when he sought their votes to represent them at the House of Representatives. He was elected and became a national figure by virtue of his position as the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Account.
Again, in 2015, he sought the votes of 10 LGs and 15 LCDAs (that constitute Lagos West Senatorial district), to represent them at the Senate and they obliged him.
The 47 year old veteran parliamentarian is a chartered accountant.
HON. BOLAJI YINUSA AYINLA, a.k.a BYA
Is presently representing the good people of Mushin Federal Constituency II at the House of Representatives.
But he started his legislative sojourn in 2003, at the Lagos House of Assembly when he represented Mushin Constituency II. He was voted in 2007 and 2011 to represent the constituency in the Lagos House of Assembly.
In 2015, his constituents gave him their votes to represent them at the House of Representatives.
HON. ADEFUNMILAYO TEJUOSO
Is a member of Lagos House of Assembly representing the good people of Mushin Constituency II since 2003.
She is one of the few legislators that have enjoyed the confidence of her constituents to the extent of voting for her four times to represent them.
In the course of that almost 14 years of legislative career, she has been elected deputy speaker once.
One of the highlights of her parliamentary career is the passing of a Bill which she sponsored as a private member bill.
The mother of four is a lawyer.
HON. BABAJIDE AKINLOYE
A prince and a lawyer has been representing the good people of Eti-Osa Constituency since 2003.
First, he represented them at Lagos House of Assembly, from 2003-2011.
In May 2011, he moved to Abuja to represent them at the Green Chamber (House of Representatives).
Owing to the confidence reposed on him by his constituents, they voted for him again to represent them in the House of Representatives in 2015.
HON. OYEWOLE BABAFEMI DIYA
Is the lawmaker representing the good people of Somolu Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives.
He started his parliamentary career at Lagos House of Assembly in 1999, when he was elected to represent the same good people of Somolu Constituency. He was reelected in 2003 to the same Lagos House of Assembly.
In 2007, his constituency gave him their votes to represent them at the House of Representatives.
In 2011, through some political arrangement, he relinquished his seat at the House of Representatives to Habib Jakande, the son of the first executive governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
But in 2015, he got his seat back and his constituents voted him into House of Representatives once again.
Hon. Oyewole Babafemi Diya is a graduate of Philosophy from Ogun State University, now Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU).
HON. ABAYOMI DAUDU KAKO-ARE
Is a quintessential politician who has been representing his constituency since 1999.
He first represented them at the Lagos House of Assembly in 1999-2003.
The trust and confidence his constituents have in him made them to vote for him to represent them at the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011.
Again in 2011, they gave him their votes to represent them in the same hallowed chamber of House of Representatives.
There was a drama in his election in 2015. His party, All Progressives Congress (APC) did not give him their ticket to represent them. They gave it to someone else.
He left APC to join Accord Party and defeated the APC candidate. Hon. Kako-Are’s constituents are non other than the good people of Mushin Federal constituency 1.
HON. ADEBAYO OSINOWO a.k.a Pepper
Is a member of Lagos House of Assembly. He has been a member since 2003 and he has been representing the good people of Kosofe Constituency 1.
Aside the fact that he enjoys the trust and confidence of his constituents, he also enjoys that of the power that be in the state. This earned him the sobriquet of Agba Egbe in the Assembly. Aside the Speaker, he is the most influential member of the assembly.
- TOLANI ABATTI
