There were indıcatıons over the weekend that the current Deputy Whıp of the Lagos State House of Assembly and only returning Principal Officer of the House, Hon. Rotımı Lateef Abiru, has emerged as the strongest runner for the speakership seat of the incoming 8th Assembly.
Abiru’s aspiration appears to be getting support and approval of leaders and elders of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress.
It was also learnt that majority of elected members of the next Assembly are also in support of his ambition.
A chıeftaın of the APC ın the state, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, explained the dırectıon of the party regarding the leadership of the state House of Assembly: “APC as a party exclusively noted for celebrating and giving priority to merit, competence and ability to delıever above all other sentiments shall in consideration of notable and remarkable achievements in the Lagos Assembly under the outgoing leadership, which had turned Lagos Assembly to a model and envy of other state Houses of Assembly that had positively rubbed on our party and its leadership, would not settle for less performance in the next Assembly.
“Therefore, the party shall encourage continuity of the remarkable works embarked upon by the Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji-led leadership of the House by endorsing the only returning member of the leadership cadre of the Assembly to continue from where the current leadership would stop and I’m sure members elected on the platform of the party would embrace the party’s position for the good of the state when it finally meets with them.”
Also speaking on the composition of the likely leadership to be expected of the 8th Lagos State House of Assembly, a member-elect representing one of the constituencies ın Lagos West and third term member confided in a group of journalists covering the House that for continuity of the excellent leadership and visible infrastructure developments achieved by the outgoing leadership, members should be allowed to freely choose among them the most qualified person to sustain the current tempo in the House.
The member-elect said: “Majority of us the returning members have resolved to queue behind Hon. Rotimi Lateef Abiru as the next Speaker of the 8th Assembly to continue with the legacy of outstanding performance that stands out the Lagos Assembly and foster executive-legislative relationship that has remained the basis of good governance which the state has been noted for since the beginning of the current dispensation especially, now that a new governor will be coming on board.”
On the issue of zoning, the lawmaker said: “The purpose of governance at any level is to deliver the goodies to the people. What an ordinary resident of Lagos looks up to from the APC government is deliverance of dividends of good government notwithstanding where the character at the top come from and you will agree with me that the leadership of our party is in tune with this, hence the composition of the leadership of the current Assembly where the Speaker and his Deputy emerged from the same senatorial district as that of the Deputy Governor and the state has been the ultimate beneficiary.
“The Lagos House under competent leadership has continued to partner with the executive to achieve the best for the state and mind you, when we talk of the speakership of the House, we are talking about the leadership of another arm of government, which is independent of the executive arm.”