On Wednesday, the Lagos State House of
Assembly postponed the inauguration of the
8th Assembly of the state. While the statement
did not give any reason for the postponement,
PREMIUM TIMES gathered from sources close
to the assembly that the postponement was
connected to the lingering tussle and ongoing
horse trading among various interests and
power blocks within the All Progressives
Congress in the state on who to replace
outgoing speaker, Adeyemi Ikufuriji,
Though the party has not officially zoned the
position to any senatorial district in the state, a
source close to top decision makers who asked
not to be named because he did not have the
authority to speak officially on the issue, told
PREMIUM TIMES it was taken for granted that
the next Speaker should come from the Lagos
Central Senatorial District.
It was assumed that since the state governor,
Akinwunmi Ambode, and his deputy, Idiat
Adebule, are from the two other senatorial
districts – Lagos East and Lagos West,
respectively, the position speaker, which is the
number three position in the state, should
come from Lagos Central.
But things appear to have fallen apart among
politicians and elected assembly members
from the Lagos Central Senatorial District who
are working at cross purposes.
Being the most experienced returning
lawmaker from Lagos Central in the assembly,
some party faithful were of the opinion that
Lanre Oshun, who is a third term returnee,
should be made the Speaker. However, his
candidacy does not have the blessing of some
party leaders who have other members they
are pushing for the same position. PREMIUM
TIMES learnt that Mr. Oshun’s seeming
independent mindedness is not doing him any
good among some of his colleagues who
perceive him as arrogant.
“The reason Lanre Oshun candidacy is not flying
is because he comes across as someone that
will not play ball, some of his peers say he’s
arrogant. He is also not someone that is likely
to run to Bourdillion to take permission to go
to toilet,” said a source close to the assembly,
explaining that Mr. Oshun is not likely to bend
to the wishes of the APC national leader, Bola
Tinubu.
There are also reports that the senator
representing Lagos Central, Oluremi Tinubu, is
against the emergence of Mr. Oshun. Sources
at the assembly said she called to annul an
agreement reached after a meeting or
stakeholders last Tuesday to make Mr. Oshun
the Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Oshun is also being overlooked by a tight-
knit purist group within the party which does
not see him as a real “Omo Eko”. This group,
which comprises politicians mainly from the
Lagos Island axis of the state, believes that Mr.
Oshun, who is from Yaba and is the
representative of Lagos Mainland II
Constituency, is not ancestrally from what they
refer to as the traditional Lagos – the original
Eko and should not be considered over those
they term as being “Omo Eko”.
“If you look at Lagos, places like Apapa, Yaba
and Ikeja are basically towns created by the
colonial government as part of Western Nigeria
and later given prominence by the federal
government,” our source said.
“So these group of influential party members
in the state, who are bent on installing only
people that fit into their definition of Omo Eko
into prominent positions, are relentlessly
working against him.”
It is believed that this group is actively plotting
to install Wasiu Eshinlokun, a lawmaker for
Lagos Island I Constituency. But his candidacy is
being met with a lot of resistance mainly
because many lawmakers think Mr. Eshinlokun,
who was last elected into the assembly in 1999,
has been away for too long to be given such a
leadership position.
The Tinubu man
The involvement of Mr. Tinubu and Mr.
Ikuforiji, who are reportedly keen on seeing
other candidates outside the Lagos Central
Senatorial District become the new Speaker,
has thickened the intrigue surrounding who
emerges the next Speaker.
Mr. Tinubu, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, is pushing
for his preferred candidate through a proxy so
as to avoid being seen as imposing someone on
the lawmakers. According to our source, the
man who protects Mr. Tinubu’s interest is
Adebayo Osinowo, aka Pepper.
“Tinubu cannot afford to be directly involved in
the tussle because it is somehow beneath him.
But we know that whatever Pepper champions
in the assembly is Tinubu’s wish. He’s Tinubu’s
mouth and ear in the Assembly.”
Mr. Osinowo is one of the most vocal
supporters of the candidacy of Modasiru Obasa,
who most likely will be named Speaker on
Monday when the Assembly is eventually
inaugurated.
On his part, Mr. Ikuforiji is vigorously pushing
for the former Deputy Whip of the Assembly,
Rotimi Abiru, to be named the Speaker. This is
understandable because Mr Abiru is the only
returning principal officer of the 7th assembly.
However, we learnt that Mr. Ikuforiji’s
influence in the assembly waned after he failed
in his gubernatorial ambition. Hence, his
support for Mr. Abiru may not carry the force
required to upstage the likes of Mr. Obasa and
Funmilayo Tejuosho.
Funilayo Tejuosho, the former Deputy Speaker
of the assembly, has never hidden her
ambition to lead the house. Her drive is also
propelled by her ambition to become the first
female Speaker of the Lagos House of
Assembly. She even indicated her interest in
the position even before the general elections.
Recently, she has granted series of interviews
in the print and electronic media aimed at
selling her candidacy. If presence in the media
was the only criterion needed to be named
Speaker of the Assembly, the position will
definitely go to her.
She is believed to have also mobilised
influential women group with the party to help
push her candidacy. But it seems the demon of
her 2009 impeachment has not been
completely exorcised. Some party members
are scared that she is inherently anti-
establishment and headstrong. However, some
of her supporters say the largely men
dominated assembly simply fell threatened by
her assertiveness.
She is perhaps the only contender calling for
the contest to be thrown open and transparent
election should be held to pick the speaker
rather than choosing a consensus candidate.
“Of course, they won’t agree to such a
proposal,” our source said. “They will want to
resolve it at the back-end before coming out to
vote because they do not want someone to
spring surprises on them.”
Efforts to confirm from the state chapter of the
party about what is being done to make sure
that the situation does not lead to friction
within its ranks were unsuccessful.
The Spokesperson of the Party, Joe Igbokwe,
did not answer several calls to his mobile
phone. Also, the state Chairman of the party,
Henry Ajumale, could not be reached as his
mobile phone was switched-off.

. Source:www.premiumtimesng.com/features-and-interviews/184430-real-reason-inauguration-of-8th-lagos-assembly-was-postponed.html

Ok

PEPPERITO.

Na wah.

Lagos state business not mine.

Mr. Oshun is also being overlooked by a tight-
knit purist group within the party which does
not see him as a real “Omo Eko”. This group,
which comprises politicians mainly from the
Lagos Island axis of the state, believes that Mr.
Oshun, who is from Yaba and is the
representative of Lagos Mainland II
Constituency, is not ancestrally from what they
refer to as the traditional Lagos – the original
Eko and should not be considered over those
they term as being “Omo Eko”.
“If you look at Lagos, places like Apapa, Yaba
and Ikeja are basically towns created by the
colonial government as part of Western Nigeria
and later given prominence by the federal
government,” our source said.

When Jimi Agbaje was rejected they said he wasnt an Omoluabi maybe cos he was PDP now Mr Oshun is being seen as not an Omo Eko jst to ruin his speakership chances?

Apapa, yaba and ikeja no be Lagos again?
SMH, i think i now understand when some pple say "lagos is no man's land".

#TeamEshinlokun4Speaker

The closeness of the result of the last governorship election, for the first time in 16 years, should alert the APC in Lagos to the fact that all is not well.

This imposition of candidates should stop and people should be allowed to express their free will

Fire on the mountain..Thief-nubu still wants to impose a Speaker in lagos assembly also.

Apc! Scatter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“The reason Lanre Oshun candidacy is not flying is because he comes across as someone that will not play ball, some of his peers say he’s arrogant. He is also not someone that is likely to run to Bourdillion to take permission to go to toilet,” said a source close to the assembly, explaining that Mr. Oshun is not likely to bend to the wishes of the APC national leader, Bola
Tinubu.

These lawmakers are in true bondage, this looks like the right man for the post but they prefer a man that will always take orders from Bourdillion.

What a joke!