Osun 8th Assembly: Lest Mischief be The Driving Force for Speakership Seat

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By Oladejo Yusuff

In about six weeks or so, the 8th Assembly in Osun state will be inaugurated, birthing a new set of leadership in the House. And expectedly, there has been subtle and open scheming for the principal offices in the House, most especially the Speakership seat.

With the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having 25 lawmaker-elects out of the 26 seats in the House, it is out of question that the Speaker will come from that party. And this reality is provoking a fierce debate on the suitable choice for the role, creating a feeding ground for mischievous elements to advance their incorrigible agenda.

Of particular interest is the intervention of one Ayo Ologun, a self-styled activist, who threw caution to the wind and predictably, adopted a posture that not only fouled logical reasoning but exposed the hidden plot by external forces to hijack the House. No doubt, people are entitled to have opinions, but when that opinion seeks to advance personal objective and not general goods, it gives a clear manifestation of sinister agenda.

That is what the latest attempt by Ayo Ologun to playdown the aspiration of Prince Adewale Egbedun for the Speakership seat portrayed, and more than ever, raises the curiosity of Osun people. Given the attitude of Ayo Ologun and his crew to the PDP government since Governor Ademola Ademola took charge on November 27 under the guise of activism, and looking at his latest position on the Speakership race, you will see reason for their curiosity.

Take, for instance, how Ayo Ologun tried endlessly to paint Prince Egbedun as undeserving of the Speakership seat and mischievously insinuate that Governor Adeleke was determined to impose him on his colleagues, nevertheless. Even when Prince Egbedun profile in the public domain clearly established his leadership credentials and capacity to preside over the House, Ayo Ologun went up in shameless expedition of misinformation about his personality and erroneously conclude that a first timer can not effectively conduct the affairs of the House.

Aside the fact that his position has no grounding in law, several instances abound on how lawmakers elected for the first time lead the House effectively. In 2011, Honourable Monsurat Sunmonu was elected the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly and presided over the Assembly for the entire four years before proceeding to the National Assembly as a Senator in 2015.

In 2019, the Plateau State House of Assembly elected a 33 year old lawmaker as the Speaker. It is important to state here that Ayuba Ayok was a final year student at the time he was made the leader of the House, and one begin to question the sense of judgement of Ayo Ologun to consider Prince Egbedun who holds at least two degrees in Nigeria and abroad, coupled with the fact of running businesses in Nigeria and the United States of America, of incapable to administer the affairs of the Osun House of Assembly.

So, the argument that Prince Egbedun is undeserving of the Speakership seat is warped, and even more, a doom to fail plan by agents of yesterday men to unsettle the 8th Assembly when it takes off. It is not to the benefit of Osun people for those who sided with those who cheated them of their wealth and plunged the state into generational debt to now turn around to be the one to teleguide the emergence of the Speaker for the 8th Assembly.

While one can not stop the opposition party and their friends spread around from cooking up conspiracies, the focus however, should be about resisting their plots. The Speakership seat is critical to delivering great gains for Osun people, hence, every efforts should be spared to pushing back the fierce ploy by the same people who contributed to the misery of Osun state, from having their way on it.

If there is anything Osun people should sternly resist, it is allowing those whose only interest is filling their pockets lure them into supporting a disjointed narrative that is targeted at frustrating the progress of Osun state. For good governance, there is need for the executive and the legislative branch to share similar zeal about service and interest of the people. Anything otherwise will leave the people to bear the brunt.

This is more reason why Osun people must reject the deceptive tales of people like Ayo Ologun, and trust the PDP to come up with a choice for Speaker that will not only be deserving, but also one that will work with Governor Adeleke to deliver good governance. That is the only thing that should matter to every Osun people that truly have the interest of the state at heart, so that nothing will distract the PDP government from undoing the damages wrought on the state by the APC misrule over the years.