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LAGOS SPEAKERSHIP: Contenders and Pretenders

IT is getting clearer that seven out of the 21 old members returning into the Lagos House of Assembly have shown interest in becoming the next Speaker of the Assembly.

ENCOMIUM Weekly takes a cursory look at these seven vis-à-vis their chances of clinching the coveted seat.

 

HON. MUDASHIRU AJAYI OBASA

He is 42 and in the House for the fourth time, making him one of the highest ranking members.  He is a lawyer by profession. If the feelers we are getting is anything to go by, he has the backing of the leadership of the House including the outgoing Speaker.  His albatross will be the fact that he is from Agege in the Lagos West senatorial district which has already produced the deputy governor.

He may, however, emerge the Speaker if the leadership of the party agrees with the leadership of the House.

 

HON. LATEEF ROTIMI ABIRU

He is 48 and in the House for his third term.  He is the only principal officer of the 7th Assembly that survived the onslaught of either the primary or the general elections.  He has a Masters degree in Chemistry from University of Lagos.  As much as some of his colleagues would love him to become the Speaker, the fact that his senatorial district (East) which also produced the governor this time around, has been producing the Speaker in the last 16 years put paid to their support for his ambition.

From a reliable source, he does not have the support of the leadership of the House nor is he likely to get the support of the party leadership.

 

HON. ADEFUNMILAYO TEJUOSHO

She is 50 and returning to the House for the fourth time.  Certainly, she is the highest ranking female member of the House.  She is a lawyer by profession and about rounding off her Ph.D in Law at University of Lagos.  She was once the deputy speaker of the House.

If the feelers we are getting are anything to go by, she does not have the support of the leadership of the House and there is every doubt if she will have the support of the leadership of the party too.

 

HON. MOSHOOD OLANREWAJU OSHUN

He was 46 on Monday, May 18, 2015.  He is returning to the House for the third consecutive term.  He holds a first and second degree in Public Administration and International Affairs.

The fact that he is from Lagos Central senatorial district where the Speakership is likely to be zoned by the leadership of the party stands him in good stead.

If, for instance, there is a stalemate between the leadership of the party and that of the House, he may emerge the consensus candidate of the two.

 

HON. WASIU ESHINLOKUN-SANNI

He is in his 50s and coming back to the House for the second time. His first term was in 1999-2003 4th Assembly session.  He is a graduate of Agricultural Economics and International Law and Diplomacy from University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos.

It is obvious that he does not have the support of the leadership of the House going by the barrage of criticisms and hurdles that has been thrown at him since his emergence as the party candidate for Lagos Island Constituency 1 seat.

Although the leadership of the party has not openly declared support for anybody, it’s obvious where their interest lies.  If he eventually emerges the Speaker, it is probably because the will of the leadership of the party has prevailed over that of the leadership of the House.

 

HON. SANAI AGUNBIADE

He is 50 and returning to the House for his third term.  A lawyer, an activist and one of the very few articulate members of the Assembly in the last two sessions.  Unfortunately for him, his constituency Ikorodu falls within Lagos East senatorial district which has held the speakership in the last 16 years.

As he told us on phone, “If it is zoned, definitely I am out of the race.  But if it is not zoned, I am interested in the race for the integrity of the House and welfare of members.”

Whether zoned or not, it is very doubtful if he will get the support of both the leadership of the house and that of the party despite being one of the very few that have the intellectual capacity to lead the house.

 

HON. OLUSEGUN GBOLAHAN YISHAWU

He is 47 and returning to the Assembly for the second time.  He holds a Bachelors degree in Engineering and Masters degree in Computer Science.  He is from Eti-Osa in Lagos Central senatorial district where the speaker may be zoned to but he needs to spend another term in the house to convince both the leadership of the party and the House that he can be trusted with power.

– TOLANI ABATTI

Encomium

Written by Encomium

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