By Odunayo Ogunmola
Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji on Tuesday proclaimed the Seventh Ekiti State House of Assembly (2023-2027) into existence as the new legislators took their oath of office to exercise their mandate for the next four years.
It was an atmosphere of pomp and pageantry as the new legislators were joined by their family members, supporters and people from their constituencies who thronged the Assembly Complex to catch a glimpse of the ceremony.
The new Assembly was inaugurated through a proclamation letter forwarded by the Governor Oyebanji and read by the Clerk, Mr. Tola Esan, amidst cheers and ovation in the hallowed chamber.
The ceremony was also witnessed by former members of the Assembly, traditional rulers, party leaders and other invited guests from all parts of the state and beyond.
Mr. Adeoye Stephen Aribasoye from Ikole Constituency 2 was elected Speaker while Mrs. Bolaji Adediwura Egbeyemi-Olagbaju from Ado Constituency 2 was elected as the Deputy Speaker.
Until his election as Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aribasoye served as the Chief Whip of the Sixth Assembly and also as the Chairman of House Committee on Media and Public Affairs (official spokesman of the House).
Rt. Hon. Egbeyemi-Olagbaju’s last appointment in government was as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Empowerment during the administration of the immediate past Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi before she resigned to contest for the Assembly seat for her Constituency.
The Clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Esan, who oversaw the election of the two presiding officers also administered the oath of membership, the oath of allegiance on them and the oath as Speaker and Deputy Speaker on the duo.
The motion nominating Rt. Hon. Aribasoye for the position of Speaker was moved by the re-elected member representing Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 1, Hon. Femi Akindele and was seconded by the re-elected member representing Ekiti East Constituency 2, Hon. Lateef Akanle.
The motion nominating Rt. Hon. Egbeyemi-Olagbaju for the seat of Deputy Speaker was moved by the re-elected member representing Gbonyin Constituency, Hon. Adeteju Okuyiga and was seconded by the re-elected member representing Ido/Osi Constituency 1, Hon. Abiodun Fawekun.
In his acceptance speech, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aribasoye pledged that the Seventh Assembly’s actions would be in the best interest of the people of Ekiti State urging the support of all stakeholders including the civil society, traditional rulers, the media, the bureaucracy and the constituents to achieve success in their stewardship.
The Speaker promised that his leadership would work with the two other arms of government-the executive and the judiciary-to work in harmony for the prosperity of Ekiti State and promote the state’s economic development by enacting laws that would enhance job creation and better the standard of living of the people.
Rt. Hon. Aribasoye assured that the legislature would work with Governor Biodun Oyebanji to help him achieve his vision for the development of the state and keep Ekiti working towards Shared Prosperity agenda encapsulated in his Six Pillars for Ekiti Development.
He also paid tributes to all his predecessors in office and all former leaders and members of the Assembly promising to build on the solid foundation they had laid to make the state realize its full potentials as a vibrant state.
The new Assembly adjourned sine die (indefinitely) after the inaugural session.
OTHER PRINCIPAL OFFICERS EMERGE AT SEVENTH ASSEMBLY’S INAUGURATION
The leadership structure of the seventh Ekiti State House of Assembly has taken shape with the nomination of principal officers by their respective political parties.
The majority party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has twenty four (24) members while the minority party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has two (2) members in the 26-member State Parliament.
Shortly after taking his seat and banged the gavel for the first time, the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, read the letters received from the two parties nominating their choices for the positions of principal officers.
The APC nominated Hon. Michael Tolulope Ige from Ekiti Southwest Constituency 2 (Ogotun and Igbara Odo) as the new Majority Leader while the position of the Deputy Majority Leader went to Hon. Oluyomi Ebenezer Ayorinde from Ido/Osi Constituency 2.
The new member representing Efon Constituency, Hon. Bosede Olowookere emerged as the Chief Whip while her counterpart from Emure Constituency, Hon. Maryam Ogunlade got the position of the Deputy Chief Whip.
Apart from the Speaker, Majority Leader and Deputy Majority Leader, other legislators nominated for the principal officers’ positions by the APC are women (Egbeyemi-Olagbaju, Olowookere and Ogunlade).
The only legislator nominated for the position of a principal officer by the SDP was the member representing Ekiti East Constituency 1, Hon. Dele Ogunsakin who emerged as the new Minority Leader.
The Speaker explained that the SDP could only produce one principal officer because the party, with just two legislators, scored less than 25 per cent of the total membership strength of the Assembly (26 seats).
Apart from the Speaker, other principal officers are first timers in the Assembly. The Seventh Assembly has nine (9) returning members who were all produced by the APC.
SIXTH ASSEMBLY DISSOLVED AFTER VALEDICTORY SESSION
The Sixth Ekiti State House of Assembly was dissolved on Monday, 5th June after the legislators led by their Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olubunmi Adelugba, held their valedictory session in the hallowed chamber.
It was a time for stocktaking, going down the memory lane, exchange of banters and recalling beautiful and low moments shared together since they were inaugurated on 6th June, 2019.
The session also gave the outgoing legislators the opportunity to celebrate their achievements in the performance of their constitutional duties of lawmaking, oversight functions and representation of their constituencies
At the colourful session, it was a mixture of joy and sadness for the departing lawmakers. Joy in the sense that they made impact during their tenure and succeeded in finishing their terms while they regretted the death of two of their members in the course of their tenure.
The two former legislators lost within the cycle were Hon. Oluwajuwa Adegbuyi, who was the representative of Ekiti East Constituency 1 who died on 21st January, 2021 and former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye from Ikere Constituency 1 who passed away on 19th October, 2022.
The outgoing lawmakers paid glowing tributes to their departed colleagues recalling their industry, passion for the development of the state and brilliance exhibited in the course of their assignment.
All members had the privilege of delivering their valedictory speeches and shared their experiences which they believed had enriched governance in the state and brought development to their constituencies.
The former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Bunmi Adelugba, hailed her colleagues for their commitment and hard work during their tenure noting that they did their best to lift Ekiti to a higher pedestal of governance.
She expressed gratitude to her colleagues for their cooperation during her tenure and also hailed their constituents for their support during their stewardship in the Assembly.
Rt. Hon. Adelugba charged members who were re-elected to see their re-election as an opportunity to serve their constituencies better while those who are not returning should look forward to a better future as their services would be needed in other capacities.
The former Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Hakeem Jamiu, said the Sixth Assembly made history as the most productive state legislature in Nigeria passing 99 Bills into Laws and passing 90 Resolutions.
Rt. Hon. Jamiu expressed satisfaction with some landmark bills passed into law by the Sixth Assembly including the Ekiti Transition Law, Ekiti State Security Network (Amotekun) Law, Ekiti Consumer Protection Law, Ekiti Wealth Fund Law, among others.
He said outgoing members were fulfilled and privileged to have been found worthy of being elected as the representatives of their people and expressed believe that the Seventh Assembly would take up the challenge to up the ante for legislative excellence.
OYEBANJI SIGNS THREE NEW BILLS INTO LAWS
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has signed three new Bills into Laws as the Sixth Assembly performed one of its last official duties on Monday, 5th June.
The ceremony which took place at the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office was witnessed by top government functionaries, Assembly officials and party leaders.
The three new bills the Governor’s assent have turned into laws are Ekiti State Access Roads Authority Law 2023, Ekiti State Road Fund Law 2023 and Ekiti State Wealth Fund Law 2023.
Governor Oyebanji said the new laws would contribute to the realization of his administration’s Shared Prosperity Agenda.
He commended the state legislators in the Sixth Assembly for their diligence and industry in working on the bills and ensured their passage.
The Governor further hailed the Sixth Assembly for its excellent working relationship with the executive arm of government.
In her remarks, the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Bunmi Adelugba, said the signing of the bills into laws was a fitting way to end the tenure of members of the Sixth Assembly.
Rt. Hon. Adelugba explained that the new laws and others earlier passed and assented to were in the best interest of the state noting that she and her colleagues worked assiduously in the last four years to ensure the growth and development of the state.
She appreciated the Governor for the unflinching support given to the legislature through the provisions of necessary logistics since his assumption of office.
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