Ikuforiji returns unopposed as Lagos Speaker
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- Category: Politics
- Published on Sunday, 05 June 2011 06:54
- Written by Admin
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The Speaker was nominated by Hon. Razak Balogun from Surulere Constituency II and was seconded by Wahab Alawiye-King from Lagos-Island Constituency II.Ikuforiji, representative of Ikeja Constituency 1, was thereafter declared as Speaker of the House by the Clerk, Taiwo Olatunji, after seeking the consent of other members of the House.
The lawmakers also elected the former Majority Leader, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo as the Deputy Speaker after he was nominated by the member representing Lagos Mainland Constituency I, Olanrewaju Oshun and seconded by Saka Fafunmi, representing Ifako/Ijaiye Constituency II.
Kolawole, the oldest serving lawmaker, who has been in the House since 1999, is also seen to have wealth of experience that could assist the continued growth of the House in the next Assembly.
However, the occasion was nearly marred by overzealous security operatives.
Heavy shoving, beating and rough-handling of invited guests, including journalists by members of the State Security Services (SSS) characterized the inauguration.
Journalists covering the Lagos State Governor and LAHA found it rather herculean, passing through the three security checks and have to squeeze themselves with force and high sense of determination to gain access to the press gallery irrespective of their staff Identity Cards (ID) and personal identification by senior officials of the Lagos State Government.
One unidentified guest received the beating of his life and knocked down until he was rescued from the ferocious security officials detailed to man the entrance.
The drama continued even after the governor stepped into the hallowed chambers at 10:38 am with his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire. In the chambers, it was another drama of sort as Ikuforiji and Taiwo were elected unopposed in what many described as an open-ended well orchestrated script.
Fashola who was clad in blue overall (Agbada) told the 40 member house that they deserve their election at the general poll, despite the spirited campaign put by opposition parties. He revealed that unlike the 6th Assembly that had just four females, the 7th is featuring seven (7) females but that the last assembly proved its mettle through far-reaching legislation that accelerated infrastructural and economic development of the state.
But for their steadfastness, Fashola recalled the Lagos State Security Trust Fund(LSSTF) which he said has been adopted by a United Nations agency as model for other states would not have seen the light of the day and challenged the seventh Assembly to outclass their predecessors who passed a total of 155 legislation.
Fashola disagreed to some extent with the doctrine of Separation of Power between the Executive and the Legislature propounded by Baron De Montesquieu, stressing that in practice the Executive and the Legislature are interdependent, citing examples of the proclamation of the seventh Assembly by the governor; the requirement of governor’s ascent before any bill becomes law, power of appropriation and other instances.
Fashola pointed out that it is not the duty of lawmakers to build road, hospitals, schools and other infrastructures but to make laws for public good and communicate the progress of government to their constituencies.
He called on the lawmakers to set aside one day to go back to their constituencies using their campaign office as a meeting point so that they could play their role as link between their constituencies and government. (Compass News)
