Osun Speakership: Only party can determine my fate – Olatunji

Tunde Olatunji, a lawmaker representing Ife-North constituency in the Osun state House of Assembly has said his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), has the final decision on whether he will contest for the speakership of the Assembly or not.

The banker-turned politician said as a loyal party member, he is willing to take whatever decision of the party as regards the speakership contest.

“I’m a man of purpose. I know why I chose to be part of governance. For me, I am driven by vision and not ambition. What matters at this time for me is how do we move the state forward. The best thing is to see how the state can be taken to the next level.

“I am grateful for my people for re-electing me, that for me is a milestone. It means I have another opportunity and my vision is to serve. I’m privileged by God and my party to vie for this seat again, any other thing that comes out of this is not left for me to decide. “The position will be decided by members of the house. It will not be decided on the pages of newspapers.

“However, the party has the final say and it is yet to make its decision. I’m a loyal party member to the core. I also believe strongly in the tenets of democracy. There are many capacities one can serve in government. Whatever capacity they see I am fit for I will take. We should not forget that leadership is not in the position but the capacity of the person occupying the position”, he said.

He noted that what has occupied his mind was developing his capacity to enable him make much impact in the state just like he did during his first term in the house, adding that he was open to whatever role the party, government and people see as appropriate for him to do more than he was doing.

Olatunji denied engineering those campaigning on different platforms to canvass support for him to become the speaker of the house.

“Whatever I can’t stand by I will not do it. If they were from me truly I will say it. It is about the people. However, because this is democracy, people have the right to speak on issue that affects them. There is also an issue of my federal constituency clamouring for that position looking at a lot of factors. This even cut across party lines.”