Ogun, Edo, Plateau get new Speakers

As a new Speaker did emerge at the House of Representatives of the National Assembly yesterday so also did some states’ House of Assembly elected new Speakers after their inaugurations.

After about nine months of not sitting the Ogun state House after its 7th inauguration elected Mr Suraj Adekunbi as new Speaker also the Edo State House of Assembly during its 5th inauguration also elected Mr Uyigue Igbe Speaker while in Kastina the former Speaker was re-elected.

Adekunbi to pilot Ogun House as Speaker

Mr Suraj Adekunbi, representing Egbado North State Constituency, has emerged Speaker of Ogun House of Assembly.

Adekunbi was unanimously elected by 25 legislators during the inaugural session of the 7th legislature in Abeokuta.

Mr Peter Banjo of Ijebu-Ode constituency emerged Deputy Speaker, having polled 15 votes to defeat Mrs Adijat Oladapo-Adeleye with 10 votes.

Messrs Jolaosho Israel, Job Akintan and Samuel Solarin emerged Majority Leader, Minority Leader and Chief Whip respectively.

Adekunbi, in his inaugural speech, promised that the lawmakers would exercise their legislative functions without fear or favour.

The new Speaker also urged Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, to ensure that the principle of separation of power was upheld in the state as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

Edo House favours Igbe as Speaker

Edo State 5th House of Assembly have also elected Mr Uyigue Igbe (Oredo West) as its Speaker.

Igbe was elected shortly after Gov. Adams Oshiomhole proclaimed the first session through a letter read by the Clerk of the House, Mr Egbe Evbuomwan.

Oshiomhole, in the letter, said  “In exercise of the powers conferred on me by the Constitution  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (Section 105, Sub-section 3, I hereby issue this Proclamation for the convening of the First Session of the Fifth Assembly of the Edo State House of Assembly on the 6th day of June, 2011.”

After the proclamation, Mr Patrick Osayimwen (Oredo East), nominated Mr Igbe as the Speaker and was seconded by Mr Johnson Oghuma ( Etsako Central) .

The nomination was accepted by the other 23 members of the Assembly.

Mr Festus Ebea (Esan South East) was also unanimously elected as the Deputy Speaker.

Katsina’s Speaker retains seat

Katsina -  The Speaker of Katsina State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ya’u Gwajo-Gwajo, has retained his position while his Deputy, Alhaji Bilyaminu Mohammed, was dropped by the legislators.

The position went to Alhaji Isiyaka Majen-Wayya from Charanchi Constituency.

The election was conducted on Monday in Katsina shortly before its inauguration.

The Majority Leader and his Deputy, Alhaji Abdullahi Tandama and Alhaji Iliyasu Abubakar retained their positions.

In his acceptance speech, the speaker said the immediate past legislature had proved its worth.

He noted that the House had also laid a sound foundation for effective and efficient legislation.

John Clark is Plateau’s Assembly new Speaker

Jos – Mr John Clark (Mangu South-PDP)  of Plateau House of Assembly was among those elected as Speakers of the newly inaugurated States  Assemblies.

Clark, who succeeds Mr Istifanus Mwansat, emerged as an unopposed candidate,

The Clerk of the Assembly, Mrs Helen Chundusu, had earlier dissolved the sixth Assembly, before Mr Dalyop Mancha (Jos South-PDP) nominated Clark for the position of Speaker.

Mancha’s nomination was seconded by Nandom Ishaku (Langtang North-North-PDP).

In his acceptance speech, Clark said he was humbled by his election.

The Assembly also elected Mr John Shekarau as the new Deputy Speaker, while other principal officers are to be elected at a later date.