The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ex-Speaker

  • Ex-Speaker in governorship race

    The former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Victor Olabimtan, has joined the governorship race.

    According to him, “my word will be my bond and I pledge to treat Ondo State as one with development evenly distributed”.

    At a briefing in Akure, the state capital, the Supare-Akoko-born politician and teacher declared his intention to run on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Olabimtan, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and Commissioner in the Federal Civil Service, said his motive is to get the best for the citizens.

    He said: “Our agenda is to align our systems, processes and outcomes to that of a modern state where things will work for all.

    “There is need for justice, fairness and equity, we need emancipation and positive change in the state. We need a person who will see Ondo State as his own project and not that of his catchment area alone.”

  • Why I rejected Fayose’s appointment, by ex-Speaker

    Why I rejected Fayose’s appointment, by ex-Speaker

    •Drama as Ekiti lawmakers amend Assembly commission’s law

    Former factional Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly Dele Olugbemi  has justified the rejection of his appointment by Governor Ayo Fayose as a member of the House of Assembly Service Commission (HASC).

    Olugbemi, who spoke in a telephone chat yesterday night,  said he was embarrassed to hear his name on radio as being nominated as HASC member without his knowledge and consent.

    He accused Fayose of running a “one-man show” and failing to carry the state Peoples Democratic Party along in making critical decisions.

    Olugbemi said: “I’m a member of the appointment committee. I was shocked to hear my name announced on the radio as being appointed as a member of the commission without my knowledge.

    “The governor’s action was against the ethos of democracy and he is simply running a one-man show. Since he came into office, he has been operating without regards to the party.

    “I gave so much to defend his mandate, but he has shown me no respect at all. I was still wondering about the appointment when he sent a message to me that some people were interested in replacing me in case I reject the offer. Since he had decided to preempt my decision, I did not find it difficult to reject the appointment.

    “All I did to defend him during the impeachment plot was to prevent the state from chaos. So, I have no regret.”

    Olugbemi shunned the screening and confirmation of HASC nominees for two days – Tuesday and yesterday – by the state lawmakers.

    The Assembly at yesterday’s sitting screened and ratified the four other nominees.

    HASC members, whose nominations were confirmed, are former Speaker Olatunji Odeyemi (Chairman), Bode Adewole, Mrs. Lanre Fajuyi and Muyiwa Fadahunsi.

    There was also a disquiet at yesterday’s sitting over the manner the lawmakers amended Section 2 (4) of the State House of Assembly Service Commission Law 2003 (as amended).

    Leader of Government Business Olatunji Akinyele (Oye 2) moved the motion for the amendment “to accommodate nominees from the three senatorial districts”.

    The amendment was expected to be assented to by the governor before it takes effect, but it took effect immediately without the governor’s assent.

    The amendment passed the first, second and third reading at the same sitting before being passed, an action which is believed to be “a record” in the history of the Assembly, as it was not subjected to any debate.

    The sitting was comical, as the lawmakers started the session with Yoruba language, switched over to English before they reverted to Yoruba.

    Yoruba is the language for House business on Wednesdays, but some of the lawmaker struggled in conveying their thoughts in the native language.

    Olugbemi played a pivotal role in the crisis that rocked the Fourth Assembly in which seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers “impeached” former Speaker Adewale Omirin and “elected” Olugbemi in his stead.

    He superintended over “screening” and “nomination” of three commissioner nominees and passage of the 2015 Appropriation (Budget) Bill into law alongside his six other PDP colleagues.

    Olugbemi, who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) after Fayose’s inauguration, also played a leading role in ensuring that the Assembly complex was shut to prevent the governor’s impeachment by the 19 opposition legislators.

  • Ex-Speaker faults Olanusi’s removal

    Ex-Speaker faults Olanusi’s removal

    Former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly  Victor Olabimtan has described the impeachment of Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi as a slap in the face of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He described the development as the cowardly act of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

    Olabimtan, an APC chieftain, said if not for Olanusi, Mimiko would not have been governor.

    His words: “Olanusi’s defection should not have been a licence for his impeachment, it shows the type of person Mimiko is.

    “The people should note that Mimiko’s action has reached a crescendo, his continued stay in power is inimical to the state’s growth.

    “We can’t continue like this, Mimiko’s acts must be resisted.

    “We will follow the rule of law and I am certain that no matter how long Olanusi will be vindicated.

    “The act will not go unchallenged; we will follow due process to achieve our objectives.

    Supare-Akoko, Olanusi’s home town, was in a pensive mood yesterday.

    One of his kinsmen, Ebenezer David, said: “Olanusi is one of the pillars in the community, who brought development to the area.”

    Ikare-Akoko people were jubilating over the appointment of Lasisi Oluboyo as the new deputy governor.

     

  • Why insecurity persists, by ex-Speaker

    The former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Kelechi Nwagwu has blamed the mounting insecurity and other criminal activities like armed robbery and kidnapping in the country on poverty and unemployment.

    Chief Nwagwu argued that if the youth were meaningfully engaged, they would no longer be used to perpetrate insurgency or political crisis in any part of the country, adding that the high rate of crime in the society is driven by hunger and frustration.

    The former Speaker, who stated this at his private residence in Owerri, the Imo state capital, during an interactive section with journalists, disclosed that he had decided to join the Senatorial race to influence legislations that will address poverty, unemployment and hunger, stressing that “if hunger and poverty are squarely addressed, only the greedy ones will be involved in crime.”

    Blaming members of the National Assembly from Southeast for the marginalisation and under-development of the zone, the former Speaker assured that if elected to represent Owerri Senatorial zone, he would attract adequate attention to the challenges of infrastructure and youth unemployment in the zone.

    Making reference to the ecological problems in Imo State, Nwagwu, who is aspiring on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), promised that if elected, he would go beyond the legislative circle to explore other means of tackling the menace.

    Chief Nwagwu also assured that if elected a Senator, he would deploy all the contacts and connections he has even beyond the legislative circles such as non- governmental organisations (NGOs) and relevant national and international organisations to tackle ecological degradation which is ravaging some communities.

    “I have been in and out of government, so I can appreciate and appraise situations and act accordingly with humility and human face. My status as a former Speaker will give me an edge over others because  I will be a ranking member of the Senate if elected by the people and that will be a plus to my Senatorial zone,” he said.

  • Why insecurity persists, by ex-Speaker

    The former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Kelechi Nwagwu has blamed the mounting insecurity and other criminal activities like armed robbery and kidnapping in the country on poverty and unemployment.

    Chief Nwagwu argued that if the youth were meaningfully engaged, they would no longer be used to perpetrate insurgency or political crisis in any part of the country, adding that the high rate of crime in the society is driven by hunger and frustration.

    The former Speaker, who stated this at his private residence in Owerri, the Imo state capital, during an interactive section with journalists, disclosed that he had decided to join the Senatorial race to influence legislations that will address poverty, unemployment and hunger, stressing that “if hunger and poverty are squarely addressed, only the greedy ones will be involved in crime.”

    Blaming members of the National Assembly from Southeast for the marginalisation and under-development of the zone, the former Speaker assured that if elected to represent Owerri Senatorial zone, he would attract adequate attention to the challenges of infrastructure and youth unemployment in the zone.

    Making reference to the ecological problems in Imo State, Nwagwu, who is aspiring on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), promised that if elected, he would go beyond the legislative circle to explore other means of tackling the menace.

    Chief Nwagwu also assured that if elected a Senator, he would deploy all the contacts and connections he has even beyond the legislative circles such as non- governmental organisations (NGOs) and relevant national and international organisations to tackle ecological degradation which is ravaging some communities.

    “I have been in and out of government, so I can appreciate and appraise situations and act accordingly with humility and human face. My status as a former Speaker will give me an edge over others because  I will be a ranking member of the Senate if elected by the people and that will be a plus to my Senatorial zone,” he said.

  • Ex-Speaker appeals to Okorocha

    Former Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly Goodluck Nana Opiah has appealed to Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay the terminal benefits and stipends of former lawmakers.

    The former Speaker, who made the appeal yesterday at a briefing in Owerri, lamented that the former member, who represented Ideato North constituency, Louis Chukwu, died following his alleged inability to access proper health attention due to paucity of funds.

    “It is most unfortunate that all political office holders and appointees of government, who served between 2007 and 2011, left without receiving their terminal benefits and stipends,” Opiah said.

    He said efforts made to get the governor to pay these legitimate entitlements failed.

    Opiah appealed to the state government to pay the late lawmaker’s entitlements to his family.