New Speaker, Possibly A Woman, To Emerge Today In Ondo House Of Assembly
The Mace at the House of Assembly
By Saharareporters, New York
Sources at the Assembly revealed to our correspondent on Monday evening in Akure, the state capital, that all is set for the voting and the eventual announcement of the new top official. The House has been without a Speaker since February 24 when the incumbent, Samuel Ajayi Adesina, died.
SaharaReporters has authoritatively learned that Princess Akindele Jumoke Yetunde from Okitipupa Constituency II, who is favored by the states’ first lady, might become the new Speaker.
But an insider in the office of the Deputy Speaker told our correspondent on telephone on Monday evening that most of the legislators might not agree that a woman lead them in the house adding that the issue of woman as Speaker has already divided the house.
Members of the House have seen then been in a race for the new Speaker since the passing of Adesina, who hailed from Oniparaga in Odigbo Local Government Area.
SaharaReporters learned that his deputy, Dare Emiola Francis, who represents Akoko South West Constituency I area of the State, has been holding the position.
A source in the Assembly said members of the ruling Labour Party (LP) folks in the House want the vacant position to be filled not by a “dribbler,” but by someone who would be loyal and faithful to the party.
“A new speaker should be someone that will be a loyal party member and ready to serve under the tenet of the ruling labour party,” the source said.
It is not clear if the status quo would be maintained on Tuesday in choosing the New Speaker, using the zoning formula which gave the position of the next speaker to the Southern Senatorial district. Observers said that any attempt to shy away from the formula might possibly destabilize the existing political calculations of the state.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko is from the Central Senatorial district of Ondo town; and his deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, from the Northern Senatorial district of Ikare Akoko while Speaker Adesina was from Oniparaga in the Southern Senatorial district. Despite that, the southerners in the state still want the vacant seat to go to the area.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the position of Speaker has been zoned to the Southern senatorial district on account of clear indications emerging from the office of the Information Officer of the House.
With the zoning system in place, it is clear that the new Speaker could be any of the following Assemblymen: Iwalewa Afolabi from Irele Constituency; Edema Olugbenga Omogbemi from Ilaje Constituency II; Aladetan Oyebo (JP) from Ilaje Constituency I; Akinwe Victor Adesulu from Odigbo Constituency II; Akpoebi Lubi Ebielatei from Ese-Odo Constituency; Princess Akindele Jumoke Yetunde from Okitipupa Constituency II; Akinkurolere Soji David from Okitipupa Constituency I; and Gbemibade Adetoro Folagbade from Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo.
It is worthwhile to recall that of these men, only two: Oyebo and Adesulu are in their second term and are visibly in the race.
Oyebo Aladetan is the Chairman House Committee on Information and the Deputy Minority Leader.
Mimiko had earlier picked Dare Emiola but we learned he dropped him when legislators in the state insisted that the seat should be zoned to the Southern Senatorial part of the state.
A source said the Governor might now be pushing for Jumoke, who is the second female legislator in the chamber. An independent observer told our correspondent Jumoke seems to be a close and loyal aide to the Governor's wife and might possibly get the seat.
Mrs. Olukemi Mimiko, it was gathered, had put pressure on her husband to allow Ondo to produce the first female speaker in the country. She holds the view that issues of political position should not be dominated by men.
Our correspondent learned that a police detachment will provide security during the voting.
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