By: ADEBOYE ADO, Akure
Residents in Ondo kingdom under the aegis of Ondo Residents Political Awareness Forum (ORPAF) on Tuesday commended Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for expressing neutrality in the choice of the Speaker of 10th Assembly of the Sunshine State.
The group’s Coordinator, Engr. Felix Akinboboye thanked the governor who was represented by his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa during the two-day induction programme organised in Owo for all the 26 lawmakers-elect of the 10th Assembly Ondo Assembly.
Akinboboye said that resolve of the governor to allow members of the Assembly to freely choose their own speaker in line with their standing rules was very much commendable. He also urged both the new and returning state legislators to do the right by electing Hon. Olamide Adesanmi Oladiji (Landmark) as the next Speaker of the Assembly.
“We are glad that Governor Akeredolu has come out clean that he was not interest in imposing anyone as the Speaker of the 10th Ondo Assembly. This has further made the coast a lot clearer for Hon. Landmark because he is obviously the most qualified and the choice of majority of the new and old members of the Assembly.
“We are most confident now that the likelihood of using Aketi’s name to perpetrate illegally and to circumvent the standing rules of the Assembly would no longer arise. All we have been clamouring for all the while is to allow what is right, fair and just in the choice of next Speaker of the 10th Assembly.
Speaking further, Akinboboye described Hon. Landmark as a very competent, totally loyal and committed member of the APC. He also described the member representing Ondo East Constituency as a bridge builder and a highly experienced person in the business of law making.
“The individual we have been marketing all the while is not just the natural choice to become the next Speaker of Ondo Assembly; he obviously possesses all the attributes to become first amongst the equals in Ondo Assembly. He is known to be a very successful businessman before he ventured into partisan politics”.
Meanwhile, Akinboboye also further stressed the need for the choice of Hon. Landmark, who is from Ondo Central to become the next Assembly Speaker in the overall interests of inclusiveness, fairness and equity.
” We will continue to underscore the obvious that our amiable Governor Akeredolu is from Ondo North Senatorial District while the hardworking Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa is from Ondo South. It is only fair and just for the Speaker of the Assembly to come from Ondo Central. Nobody should try to package an albino as a white man for us. Hon. Landmark is the only ranking member from Ondo Central and he is arguably the most competent ranking member in the Assembly.
“Our appeal once again is to all members of the Assembly to do what is right so as to be on a good side of posterity. We passionately appeal to the legislators not to rock the boat of Ondo Legislative Assembly by doing what is unbecoming. The lawmakers should endeavour to write their names in the golden sand of time by choosing Hon. Landmark Oladiji as the Speaker of the 10th Assembly”, Akinboboye counselled.
