Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in the Southwest met on Monday at the Lagos State House of Assembly to discuss the zone’s progress.
The gathering came a few days before the Abuja meeting of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, where a national chairman will be elected.
Speakers at the meeting include Rt. Hon. Taiwo Oluomo (Ogun), Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin (Oyo), Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye (Ekiti), Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun (Osun) and Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji (Ondo).
After a closed-door session, the host, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa told reporters that they discussed issues relating to the growth and progress of the Southwest.
He said: “We looked at the progress of the legislature in the Southwest. Let me remind you that during the last Assembly, we all adopted a single Business Rules and Standing Order, which was reviewed at this meeting. We also discussed the coming election of the Conference of Speakers. We deliberated on that because we have to be there with one voice. We have two speakers, Ogun and Oyo, running for the position. So we have to harmonise our position before we go for the election.
“We also discussed the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria as it relates to the economic progress and development of Southwest. I am happy to tell you we made tremendous progress in our discussion and we have concluded that we will meet again to continue our deliberation. But in all, we have discussed in the interest of the Southwest”.
Aribasoye added: “We met to discuss the Southwest, the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, the coming election, the security of our zone and the need for cross-fertilisation of ideas among the legislatures in the Southwest”.
Earlier, while being received at the legislative chamber of the Lagos Assembly, the speakers told the lawmakers that their visit had opened their eyes to further directions they needed to take for the progress of their individual states.
They praised their colleagues in Lagos for standing firm in the support for democracy, true governance and the leadership of Obasa, saying their activities have helped to sustain a virile legislature.
“What we have seen at the Lagos State House of Assembly will guide us going forward”, Aribasoye added. He described Lagos as a true ‘Centre of Excellence’, and thanked Obasa for being a worthy leader to Southwest speakers.
Oladiji, who said it was his first time visiting the Lagos Assembly, described his experience as “a true reflection of why the state continues to make legislative progress under Obasa”.
Egbedun said the Southwest remains the leading democratic light in Nigeria, while Oluomo praised the Lagos lawmakers for standing with Obasa, who he described as “making history for being the longest-serving Speaker in Nigeria”.
Ogundoyin thanked Obasa for always helping Southwest speakers with his knowledge and experience.
Obasa described his colleagues at the Lagos Assembly as dedicated, loyal to positive causes and passionate about the progress of the legislature and the state.
