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Tag: Lagos Assembly

  • Lagos Assembly: Obasa, Eshinlokun, Agunbiade, others for principal offices

    Lagos Assembly: Obasa, Eshinlokun, Agunbiade, others for principal offices

    The 8th Assembly of the Lagos state House of Assembly is finally ready to be inaugurated tomorrow, as the lawmakers agreed amongst themselves on how best to share the principal offices of the next session of the legislative House. Going by the resolution, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa from Agege 1 constituency will emerge as the next Speaker of the Assembly while Hon. Wasiu Ehilokun (Lagos Island 1) will be Deputy Speaker and Hon. Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1) is set to take office as the Majority Leader of the Assembly.

    Also, Hon. Rotimi Abiru (Shomolu 2) may emerge as the Chief Whip. Other lawmaker said to have been penciled down for principal offices are Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh Apapa 2), Deputy Majority Leader and Hon. (Mrs.) Omotayo Oduntan (Alimosho 2) as Deputy Whip. The resolution, which followed weeks of disagreement amongst the legislators, according to sources, was reached following the intervention of leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).  ( ( The inauguration which was earlier scheduled for Thursday last week was postponed because of inability of the lawmakers to resolve the crisis created by the tussle for the Speakership position.

    Following the resolution of the matter amongst the lawmakers at the weekend, the final list agreed upon by the APC lawmakers was taken to Governor Akinwunmi  Ambode and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by two ranking legislators for approval.

    With the latest development the only position left to be filled now is that of the Minority Leader which is to be occupied by one of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member; and this is expected to be decided at the inauguration tomorrow.

     

    In the outgoing dispensation, there were only six principal officers because there was no opposition party member in the 7th Assembly; the number has now increased to seven with the inclusion of the Minority Leader as PDP will have eight members in the 8th Assembly.

  • Inauguration of Lagos Assembly postponed

    Inauguration of Lagos Assembly postponed

    The inauguration of the eighth Lagos State House of Assembly slated for today has been postponed till next Monday.

    A notice to that effect said: “This is to inform the public, especially invited dignitaries, that the proclamation/inauguration of the eighth Assembly (Lagos State House of Assembly), earlier scheduled for Thursday, June 4,  at the Assembly Complex Chambers, has been postponed till Monday, June 8, due to unforeseen circumstances.”

    Though there is no official reason for the postponement, two sources at the Assembly gave different reasons for the postponement.

    One source said the postponement was at the instance of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who wrote to the House that he has an important meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari today.

    The other source said the postponement was as a result of the inability of the lawmakers to agree on a consensus candidate for the speakership position.

  • Lagos Assembly honours cleaner who returned N12m at MMIA

    Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday honoured Miss Josephine Ugwu, the cleaner who returned N12million she found at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, in January.

    Deputy Speaker Kolawole Taiwo, who presided yesterday, presented commendation letter and an undisclosed sum to Ugwu.

    The letter hailed her “for her act of honesty and patriotism for returning the N12million on Friday 23 January, 2015”.

    It went on: “Your action is a great inspiration to many who believe in the future of Nigeria; your conduct has positively affected the image of Nigeria internationally. It is an act worthy of emulation, because of this, we decided to hold a special parliamentary session to celebrate your honesty, integrity, uprightness, sincerity, truthfulness and patriotism. We truly believe in you”.

    Earlier, Segun Olulade urged the House to employ Ugwu or recommend her to the governor for employment to encourage other Nigerians to emulate her.

    Rotimi Olowo urged the state to immortalise her by naming any institution or monument after her.

    Thanking the House for the gesture, Ugwu said: “I never expected to be honoured in this Assembly talk of being recognised and honoured by this institution.”

    According to her, she was just doing her duty and following the rules of the organisation she is working with and also living according to the training she received from her parents.

    “My family trained me not take anything that does not belong to me. I also want to prove to the world that Nigeria is a good country with people of integrity unlike the wrong impression they have about the country”, she said.

    She said it was the third time since December 2014 that she was returning money left behind by passengers to the Airport security. Ugwu was accompanied by the Managing Director of her company.

     

  • 8th session: Member canvasses strong leadership for Lagos Assembly

    8th session: Member canvasses strong leadership for Lagos Assembly

    As 8th session of the Lagos State House of Assembly prepares to resume next June, a member, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade representing Ikorodu 1, has called on his colleagues to save the next legislature a lot of troubles by ensuring that they elect reliable and capable hands into the leadership of the assembly. Agunbiade, a third term lawmaker, explained that while it is very important for the House to put a tested and confirmed crisis manager in charge of the House as Speaker, every other leadership position in the assembly must also be manned by people who can compliment the efforts of the helmsman at all times.

    Speaking when he received members of the League of Journalists, Ikorodu, who paid him a courtesy visit in his constituency office, Agunbiade said, “Well, I pray that God would guide us right. I would expect that the leadership of the new dispensation should be crisis managers and they should be able to anticipate crisis of opinions, ideas, and perceptions.” The lawmaker, who is also a lawyer by profession, maintained that the next Speaker that will direct the affairs of the House must be able to unite both the new members from the PDP and the old and new members from the ruling party in the state, APC.

    According to him, with the unprecedented increase in the number of opposition lawmakers in the next assembly, the leadership will have to skillfully manage the membership of the next legislature in a way that both the PDP minority and the APC majority will work together in harmony. “Our thoughts now should be about where we want the Assembly to be at the end of the 8th Assembly; it should be higher than where we are now . We should uphold the principle of the Lagos State House of Assembly being above the common standard of excellence.

    “I look forward to a leadership that would bring about the enabling environment for the Governor that would be taking over in the state; they should be able to organise the institution of the legislature such that it would help the new executive to surpass the achievements of the current executive of the state. So, at the end of the day, the people of Lagos State can say ‘thank God, we are getting better than we were in 2015,” he said.

    The respected lawmaker aid all the 20 current lawmakers who will not be returning to the House will be sorely missed buy their returning colleagues when the next Assembly opens. According to him, “these are great people who over the years have contributed immensely to the making of the new Lagos we have today. They are patriots in every way. They are great Lagosians. We will miss them greatly.”

    There is no doubt that some legislators who make the plenary what it is are not returning right from the primaries and the elections and the effect of that is that we would be having 20 new persons coming to replace 20 lawmakers that are not coming back whether at the shortfalls of the primaries or at the real elections. We would miss the fact that we have worked and lived with some people for four years or eight years, and this presupposes some intimacy and affections, all of these would tell on us. You are fond of some people, you would remember the good times you have spent with some people, but the consolation is that God has reasons for everything, and there is no way a large number of people can always be together forever,” he added

    Agunbiade also praised the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, for his role in ensuring that Akinwunmi Ambode emerged winner of the last governorship election. He also congratulated residents of the state for voting Ambode as the governor. He urged Lagosians to support the newly elected governor right from May 29 when he would be sworn-in so that his administration can succeed like the administrations of Tinubu and Fashola. He also showered encomiums on other APC leaders for ensuring victory for the party all through the electioneering period.

    “Ambode’s victory is an evidence that the people of the state truly appreciates the efforts of the APC to make Lagos an envy of Africa. With the victory recorded by the APC in this election, it means the people of Lagos are not unmindful of the successes recorded by our party in the governance of the state. Whether we like it or not, Asiwaju Tinubu has taken up the responsibility of leading the Yoruba race and we must all come to terms with this fact. He started what has now metamorphosed into a national party and party at the centre of the Nigerian government. Today, we can see the spread of the APC,” he stated.

    Speaking further, Agunbiade said the APC-led Federal Government under Buhari will strive to meet the expectations and yearnings of Nigerians, irrespective of religious, ethnic or cultural differences,” he said. “ Nigerians should be optimistic. We have made the right choice and we will not regret it. Buhari will ensure social justice, adherence to the rule of law, youths and women empowerment, improvement of security and the power sector. All Nigerians will be treated equally and fairly under Buhari,” he said.

    The lawmaker commended journalists for their objective coverage of the general polls which had ensured peace in the state and the country. “But for the courage and commitment displayed by journalists across the country, we may not have had such a commendable and credible electoral exercise,” he said.

  • Configuration of 8th Lagos Assembly changes

    Unlike the outgoing 7th Lagos state House of Assembly where all the 40 members are from one party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, the emerging picture of the incoming 8th Assembly shows a slight departure from a one party dominated House.

    From the result released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from Saturday’s election APC won 32 seats leaving PDP with 8 seats. What impact this number of opposition members will make in the 8th Assembly is not certain for now.

    PDP won the two seats of Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1 and 2 constituencies; the two seats in Amuwo Odofin 1and 2 and Oshodi-Isolo 1 and 2, it also picked the one of Ojo 1 constituency and Surulere 2 constituency, giving it a total of 8 seats.

    The most upsetting of the loss is that of the current Deputy Speaker, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo from Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1 who was already being positioned for the office of the speaker if he returns having spent four terms in the House. If he had come back it would have been his fifth term. He is nicknamed the Methuselah of the House on account of the number of terms he has spent in the House being the longest serving member.

    His exit has thrown up the office of the speakership of the 8th Assembly for contest among the ranking members.

    Another upset is that among the current six principal officers in the House only one  won election to return; he is the Deputy Whip, Hon. Rotimi Abiru from Shomolu 2 who Assembly watchers are already fingering may emerge as the speaker all things being equal.

    Taiwo and Abiru were the only principal officers that contested last Saturday’s election, others had earlier lost their bid at the party primaries or did not make attempt to come back.

    Although APC still has more than two-third majority in the House which means it will not have any problem in pushing through its bills and resolutions, the new configuration is however significant because this is the first time since the inception of this democratic dispensation that opposition party is having as much as eight seats.

    In the 6th Assembly, PDP was only able to secure three seats in the House which later reduced to two when the then Minority Leader, Hon. Hodewu Suru Avoseh from Badagry 2 defected to the then Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. While there was only one PDP member in the 5th Assembly.

     

  • Lagos Assembly hails cleaner who found N12m

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has invited Ms. Josephine Agwu, a cleaner at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, who found N12 million in various currencies  and returned the money.

    The House, which reconvened after a month’s recess, invited Miss Agwu to plenary, for being patriotic. The Clerk, Segun Abiru, has been directed to put everything in place to invite her to the House.

    Deputy Whip Rotimi Abiru, under Matter of Urgent Public Importance, raised the issue, calling the attention of his colleagues to the fact that Ms Agwu was returning lost money for the third time.

    Abiru said the lady, who earns N7,800 monthly, was given $50 the second time she found and returned lost money.

    Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu Constituency 1) noted that the incident did not occur in a state establishment; neither did it occur in an agency of the state.

    He pointed out that it won’t be out of place for the House to show a sign that others would emulate, adding that the House should invite the lady to celebrate her as a sign of moral motivation.

    Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji, who presided over the session, directed the Clerk to invite Ms Agwu.

  • 12 lawmakers lose bid to return to Lagos Assembly

    12 lawmakers lose bid to return to Lagos Assembly

    Twelve members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, lost their reelection bid.

    Abdulrazaq Balogun (Chief Whip, Surulere 2);  Ajibayo Adeyeye (Majority Leader); Mufutau Egberongbe (Apapa 1);  Hodewu Suru Avoseh (Badagry 2); Wahab Alawiye-King (Lagos Island 2) and Masha Hakeem Agboola (Lagos Island 1).

    Others are: Omowunmi Olatunji-Edet (Oshodi-Isolo 2); Ramota Akinola-Hassan, (Amuwo Odofin 2); Bashiru Oloto (Lagos Mainland 2); Kabir Lawal (Surulere 1); Ahmed Ipoola Omisore(Ifako Ijaiye 2); Adebimpe Akinsola (Ikorodu 2) all lost out to “new comers”.

     Olatunji-Edet was defeated by Ladi Ajomale, son of the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Henry Oladele Ajomale.

    It was a landslide victory as Ajomale’s son polled 250 votes; Moroof Ojoola polled 58 votes. Olatunji-Edet could only muster  37 votes.

    The story was more pathetic for Omisore. He could only muster four delegate votes.

    The  Ifako-Ijaye Constituency 2 ticket was won by “newcomer” Rasheed Makinde, who polled 103 votes to push former chairman of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Benjamin Olabinjo, to second place with 93 votes.

    In Amuwo Odofin Constituency 2, incumbent Ramota Akinola-Hassan was defeated by another “newcomer”, Wale Raufu.

    In Lagos Mainland Constituency 1, former local government chairman Oladele Adekanye, a.k.a. Lado, defeated incumbent Bashiru Oloto.

    Nollywood actor Desmond Elliot beat incumbent Kabir Lawal in Surulere Constituency 1.

    Twenty-four lawmakers defeated their opponents.

    They include Deputy Speaker Kolawole Musbau Taiwo (Ajeromi-Ifelodun Constituency 1); his counterpart in Constituency 2, Abdul Baq Ladi Balogun; Mudasiru Obasa (Agege Constituency 1); his counterpart in Constituency 2, Yinka Ogundimu; Bisi Yusuf (Alimoso Constituency 1); Sikiru Osinowo  (Kosofe Constituency 1); Princess Adefunmilayo Tejuoso (Mushin Constituency 1); Dayo Saka Fafunmi (Ifako-Ijaye Constituency 1); Lanre Ogunyemi (Ojo Constituency 2); his counterpart in Constituency 1, Muhibat Rufai-Adeyemi and Moshood Lanre Oshun (Lagos Mainland Constituency 2).

    Others are: Olanrewaju Layode (Badagry 1); Olumuyiwa Jimoh (Apapa 2); Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1); Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2) and his counterpart in Eti-Osa 1, Alimi Ademola; Segun Olulade (Epe 2) and his counterpart in Epe 1, Abiodun Tobun; Deputy Chief Whip Rotimi Abiru (Somolu 2) and his counterpart in Somolu 1, Rotimi Olowo; Omotayo Oduntan (Alimosho 2); Sultan Adeniji-Adele (Amuwo Odofin 1); Mojeed Fatai Adebola (Ibeju-Lekki 1) and his counterpart in Ibeju-Lekki 2, Kazeem Raheem Adewale.

    There was a stalemate in Kosofe 2 Constituency and in the rerun which took place yesterday, Majority Leader Ajibayo Adeyeye lost to Tunde Buraimoh.

     Adeyeye scored 173, Buraimoh scored 230, Olojo Kosoko one and Oluwole Ogunleye three.

  • Lagos Assembly reorders 2014 budget

    Lagos Assembly reorders 2014 budget

    Lagos State House of Assembly has approved the re-ordering of  the year 2014 budget as requested by Governor Babatunde Fashola by increasing the recurrent expenditure from N234.665billion to N241.865billion and reducing the capital expenditure from N255.025billion to N247.825billion.

    It was reordered by N11.660billion at a special plenary yesterday. However, the budget size still remains N489.690 billion.

    The governor had, in a letter to the House, requested for the reordering of the year 2014 budget of the state to meet with demands for more public services from citizens which are “sufficiently compelling and can not wait until 2015”.

    The reordering, according to the governor, was to take care of emerging issues like the reversal of LASU school fees policy, the  urgent need to address the threat of the Ebola virus epidemic and also a need for counterpart funding request  to access developmental funds to install solar power panels in 172 public schools and 11 primary health centres in the first phase.”

    The reordering did not affect the original budget size of N489.69 billion as the governor in his letter said there are still unutilized provisions by some MDAs which may remain so till year end.

    It is this unutilized funds that have been moved to where they are more urgently needed to enable the state government address pressing needs.

    The governor said the re-ordering was to urgently address some of the critical unbudgeted expenditure requests by various ministries, departments and agencies and MDAs.

  • Lagos Assembly mourns Aturu

    Lagos Assembly mourns Aturu

    Lagos State House of Assembly at its plenary on Thursaday  paid tribute to the late lawyer and human rights activist, Bamidele Aturu, who died Wednesday,  July 9, describing him as an uncommon personality that fought for  emancipation of the masses.

    Muyiwa Jimoh, representing Apapa, brought the news of Aturu’s death to his colleagues, saying: “Aturu was a pride not only to Nigeria, but also to Africa.  At the age of 19, he was a youth leader always at the forefront of fighting for the good of others.”

    The lawmaker said although the dogged fighter was an indigene of Akoko in Ondo State, he had lived all his life in Lagos, adding that “his death came as a rude shock to us. He died shortly after slumping last night.”

    He explained that Aturu’s recognition was far beyond Nigeria. “He was a member of the legal team of the International Labour Organization (ILO). I think with all these, he deserves tribute from this hallow chamber.”

    Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji  described the death of the frontline lawyer as a national calamity, saying: “The sudden demise of one of Nigeria’s brightest legal practitioners and a civil rights activist, Mr. Bamidele  Aturu , on  Wednesday, is indeed a national calamity. It is quite sad and highly unfortunate that our nation has yet again lost one of her best legal minds to the cold hands of death at a time when more of such minds are needed to help rescue our country from ruins.”

    He  further said: “It is not only sad, but highly unfortunate. It is on record for instance that  Bamidele Aturu plotted a very unique path of practice for himself since becoming a legal luminary, by always aligning with and fighting  for the poor masses of our country, free of charge.  One would have wished that such a great soul would be spared by the Almighty Creator to live long enough to be able to fight the course of the downtrodden in our country, for a longer period.”

    While lending his voice, Sanai Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu I, pointed out that the death of the activist became more saddening because “he did not live to eat the fruits of his labour having died at the age of 49.”

    Agunbiade explained that Aturu was to be distinguished among other activists because he was regarded as “gentle tiger” having fought wholeheartedly for the masses.

    While Deputy Whip, Rotimi Abiru, described the death as a great loss to the judiciary and the nation at large, adding that his exit would create a huge gap in the judicial system at this crucial time of our democratic practice.

    According to him, the late barrister was a dogged fighter, honest and professional to the core. “He was the voice of the voiceless and a man who always stood by the truth. The nation will miss him; the masses will miss him”, Abiru said.

    A minute silence was thereafter observed in his honour.

    …Okotie too

    The Chairman, Rev. Chris Okotie, the National Executive Committee and members of the Fresh Democratic Party  have commiserated with the wife, children and family of the upright, forthright and  human rights lawyer and activist, Mr. Bamidele Aturu who died Wednesday, July 9.

    The described his death as  a big blow to the struggle for the entrenchment of rule of law in Nigeria.

    They said: “Aturu identified with and stood his good causes and was a champion of the oppressed. He was iconoclastic till his death.

    “We pray that the Lord will grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”

     

  • Economy: Lagos Assembly assures Fashola of continuous support

    Economy: Lagos Assembly assures Fashola of continuous support

    Lagos State House of Assembly has pledged to continue to support Governor Babatunde Fashola in his quest to better the live of Lagosians by providing necessary infrastructure in the state.

    The House further pledged to assist the governor in the area of budget in every way possible to avert any untoward effect arising from the current economic situation as a result of Federal Government failure to remit the proper fund to the state.

    Deputy Speaker, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo who presided at yesterday’s plenary gave the assurance on behalf of his colleagues after listening to four members of the state executive council who were invited to throw more light on the state of the economy as presented to the House by the Governor at plenary on recently.

    After listening to the governor on Monday, the House invited Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ben Akabueze, Commissioner Finance, Ayo Gbeleyi, commissioner, Special Adviser on Taxation and Revenue, Bola Shodipo and the Accountant General of the state.

    The exco members took turns to explain the effect of the current situation on the performance of the budget and welfare of Lagosians.

    According to Nwabueze although only 25 per cent of the state government is dependent on federal transfers “it still remains a significant portion of the budget if it is threatened as it is now” stressing that it affects budget performance. He said 75 per cent of the budget is from internally generated revenue.

    He however pointed out that not very many states are in the same situation with Lagos as most of them practically survive on federal allocation.

    Shodipo explained further that the situation “affects every aspect of our living in the state, we are trying to minimize the effect but how far we can go is still a matter of concern.”