A peep into the make-up of 9th Lagos assembly

A roll call into the incoming Lagos state law makers popularly known as the 9th assembly is, according to TEMITOPE MUSOWO, different from the 8th assembly for many reasons.

When the roll call shall be made in the Lagos state 9th assembly in the next few weeks, 10 names of the outgoing assembly will be missing for one reason or the other.

The 8th assembly was inaugurated in June 2015 with 32 APC lawmakers (some returning members and some new members) while eight other members won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), an unprecedented number of opposition in the state House of Assembly.

 Unfortunately, in 2017, the assembly lost one APC lawmaker in the person of late (Hon) Kazeem Alimi to the cold hands of death. He, until his death, represented Ibeju Lekki I and was replaced by Hon Noheem Adams.  

 A peep into the incoming 9th assembly shows that 30 out of the 40 of the 8th assembly lawmakers will be returning while 10 will not return either due to loss in the primary or are aspiring for higher political offices.

The 8 decampees from the PDP to APC and their political future

Eight members who got to the house on the platform of the opposition PDP later decamped to the ruling APC. Initially, seven of them first decamped and one other joined them later, the first six were Hon Akeem Bello, (Amuo-Odofin II) who was until then the minority leader, Hon Mosunmola Sangodara of Surulere II, also the then deputy minority leader, Hon Olushola Shokunle, Oshodi-Isolo I and the only Igbo man in the house, Hon Jude  Emeka Idimogu, representing Oshodi-Isolo II.

Others were Hon Fatai Oluwa representing Ajoromi-Ifelodun II and his colleague, Hon Dayo Famakinwa of Ajeromi- Ifelodun I, then, Hon Vicor Akande representing Ojo constituency II also joined them in APC months later, while Hon Dipo Olorunrinu representing Amuwo – Odofin I just joined the ruling party last month after losing the general election.

Out of these seven lawmakers who initially crossed from the PDP to the APC, only Hon Dayo Famakinwa and Hon Akeem Bello failed to get a return ticket despite the party promising them automatic return ticket while crossing to the ruling party; unfortunately, Famakinwa happened to be the first out of the eight PDP lawmakers to indicate interest in joining the ruling party; no sooner he got to the house than he started speaking ill of his former party, (PDP) for not being supportive enough during their elections.

 However, many attributed his failure to secure the party’s ticket to his stingy attitude as he is often seen as the stingiest of the 40 lawmakers, so there are insinuations that he may be banking on the party’s promise of an automatic return ticket, therefore failed to take care of the leaders and other stakeholders in his constituency, therefore losing to a more generous candidate.

Ordinarily, one would have thought that Hon Dipo Olorunrinu the only PDP lawmaker who until recently remained in opposition would be rewarded with automatic ticket for his loyalty to the party, he was, however, subjected to primary election where he slugged it out with other contestants, winning narrowly with just 4 votes, one of the reasons he gave for leaving the party last week.

The step-up higher syndrome

Out of the six APC lawmakers in the house that aspired for the National Assembly seats, only one had his aspirations of securing the party’s ticket realised while the hope of five were dashed.

 Hon Bayo Osinowo (APC-Kosofe I) a right-hand man of Asiwaju and a strong member of the party clinched the party ticket for Lagos East Senatorial District defeating the incumbent, Hon Gbenga Ashafa. Osinowo is now a senator- elect.

 The other five lawmakers who failed in their ambitions to move to the House of Representatives include Hon Segun Olulade (Epe II), Hon Dayo Saka-Fafunmi (Ifako-Ijaiye I), Hon (Mrs) Omotayo Oduntan (Alimosho II), Hon Lanrewaju Ogunyemi (Ojo II) and Hon (Mrs) Adefunmilayo Tejuoso (Mushin I).

Initially, Hon Lanre Ogunyemi of Ojo II who sought the party’s ticket to represent Ojo federal constituency in the House of Representatives made the list but was later denied the ticket after the alleged winner of the primary election and his supporters petitioned the national secretariat of the party, Ogunyemi’s name was later substituted for his.

Meanwhile, the four lawmakers whose hope of returning to the state assembly were dashed at the primary are, Hon Akeem Bello ( Amuwo-Odofin II), Hon Adedayo Famakinwa, (Ajeromi Ifelodun I), Hon Lanrewaju Adekanye (Lagos Mainland I)  and Hon Sola Giwa (Lagos Island I).

Female under-representation in the 9th assembly

Female representation in the 9th assembly will be poor compared to the 8th Assembly where they have 4 representatives. As it stands, only two out of the four female lawmakers in the 8th assembly will be returning. These are Hon Mosunmola Sangodara (Surulere I)  and Hon Mojisola Meranda (Apapa I) while Hon Tejuosho and Hon Adetayo Oduntan will not be returning; although a new female lawmaker who defeated Hon Dipo Olorunrinun in Amuwo-Odofin constituency I will make female representative in the next assembly to make it three.

Had Hon Tejuoso won the party’s ticket, she would have taken her four terms experience in the assembly to the House of Representatives but she was reportedly denied the ticket because of her closeness to Dr Muiz Banire, a factional leader within the party in the state.

In the same vein, Hon Oduntan was also found guilty by association as she was sighted at the venue of the parallel party congress where Fouad Oki emerged as the factional chairman of the Lagos APC during the last state congress of the party. This eventually became Oduntan’s greatest undoing. 

 While some lawmakers were coming for a second, third and fourth term, only the speaker of the house, Rt Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who is now the most ranking member will be returning for the fifth term.

 Lawmakers who will not return and why

Hon Giwa representing Lagos Island constituency II, according to his constituents, was accused of living a flamboyant life as he was fond of boasting about the cost of his slippers, shirt, wrist watch, etc. He is always known for flaunting his material possessions before the constituents without giving them anything, so, they insisted he would not come back.

Hon Bello, who is still in court to regain his ticket, was said to have been robbed of the party’s ticked by Sen Musiliu Obanikoro as a pay-back for turning his back at Obanikoro when he made him the minority leader when they were still together in the PDP, unfortunately for Bello, Obanikoro is now a deciding factor in Amuwo-Odofin where Bello represents.

 Hon Segun Olulade beame a victim of power play because of his closeness to Governor Ambode. So, despite Olulade’s popularity among his people in Epe, he was denied the party’s ticket as a punishment for his loyalty to the governor. Even though he re-traced his steps, it was too late.

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