ABEOKUTA – Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has congratulated the new Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, and all the State lawmakers for ensuring a rancour-free process through which they elected the new Speaker.
The governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako Oyedele spoke when he received 19 members of the House who accompanied the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olusegun Oludaisi Elemide on a courtesy call on him on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the members have a perogative on who they want to lead them at any point in time.
He commended the seamless manner in which they elected the new Speaker, reaffirming that the lawmakers have the right to decide who would lead them in a democracy.
According to him, “it is worthy of note that the executive has not interfere in the process to make sure that you are comfortable in what you want to do, that led you to making your decision. And we support you in the decision that you make.
“You have gone through the process in a way that is extemporary. This is not the first time in this country that members of a particular legislature has decided to change their leader.”
Abiodun emphasized that the executive arm will continue to adhere strictly to the concept of Separation of Power and the rule of law in it relationship with the House of Assembly.
The governor pledged that his administration would support and work closely with the legislature to maintain the harmonious relationship that has existed in the last four and a half years.
In his remarks, the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elemide said the House would continue to compliment the executive and avoid the unnecessary mudslinging that may hindered the progress of the State.
“We are not going to fight neither are we going to compromised the executive. In the legislature, there is room for lobbying. We will lobby where we need to lobby, we will assert where we need to assert and we will let the whole people of the State know that we are there for them.
“To my colleagues, I would not want to betray their confidence that they have in me, it is going to be ‘we and not I’. I am just the first among equals and we were voted in from our various Constituencies. I will take cognisant that we are equal.
“I will be there to speak for them and I will speak whatever they put in my mouth”, Elemide concluded.