Returning, new members back Gbajabiamila for Reps’ speakership

A group of returning and newly elected members of known as the ‘9th Assembly Progressives’ yesterday adopted Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker and Ahmed Idris Wase as his deputy in the coming Ninth House of Representatives to be inaugurated on June 11.

Led by a ranking member, Oluwole Oke (Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State), the group consists of non-All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers that enjoy goodwill across the minority parties, geopolitical zones and gender affiliations.

A statement yesterday in Abuja stated that Gbajabiamila’s “innate brilliance shows in the quality of bills and motions he has sponsored in the House and his contribution to debates is passionate, deep, insightful and always logical.

In a related development, the former Leader of Government Business in Ekiti State House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye, has emerged speaker, just as erstwhile Senior Special Assistant on Research and Documentation to Governor Kayode Fayemi during his first tenure, Hakeem Jamiu, was unanimously elected deputy speaker.

Afuye, a former Commissioner for Information represents Ikere constituency 1 while Jamiu is of Irepodun/Ifelodun constituency II.

The duo were sworn in by the Clerk, Tola Esan.

In Osun, Timothy Adigun Oladiji Owoeye (Ilesa East) yesterday became speaker of the 26-member parliament.

Besides, the Kogi Assembly re-elected Matthew Kolawole as speaker.

The representative of Kabba/Bunu state constituency was returned unopposed.

He was nominated by Bello Hassan from Ajaokuta constituency and seconded by Momoh Rabiu of Ankpa II constituency.

The tussle had been a fierce one between Kolawole and Jimoh Omiata from Yagba East state constituency, but surprisingly, no other nomination was received for the post.