*Contestants Resolute As South-West Speakers Seek Consensus Candidacy From Zone
By Wale Akinselure
Except a consensus is reached within the next hours, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin will on Saturday, in Abuja, slug it out with Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Honourable Taiwo Oluomo for the Chairmanship of Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria.
Ahead of Saturday’s election, the conference had zoned the Chairmanship to the South-West with the Speakers of Oyo and Ogun Houses of Assembly obtaining forms to contest the election.
While the two speakers have carried on with their campaign across the six geopolitical zones to seek support for their ambition, the South-West Conference of Speakers is keen on some harmonisation before Saturday.
The issue of harmonizing positions was a key reason for Monday’s meeting hosted by Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Honourable Mudasiru Obasa in Lagos.
However, the meeting failed to get one of the two contesting Speakers to drop their ambition the other, with the two sticking to their guns.
In last minute moves, it was gathered that the two contestants, on Tuesday, stepped up moves, consultations, meetings with and made phone calls to stakeholders to reach consensuses, compromises as well as galvanise support for their ambition.
Oluomo emerged Vice Chair, South West of the national conference of speakers when Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Honourable Abubakar Suleiman, who is the outgoing Chairman of the Conference emerged in November 2020.
The constitution of the conference stipulates a two-year term of office for its elected leadership which rotates between the northern and southern part of Nigeria.
Speaking after Monday’s meeting, Obasa said: “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 harmonize our position before we go for the election.”
A communique also issued after the meeting read, “The conference unanimously agreed to work on how come up with a consensus arrangements for the elective positions zoned to the region and provide maximum support for the leadership of the Southwest Speakers Conference and pledged to support and collaborate with whoever emerges as the Chairman of the Speakers Conference from the zone.
“Recognizing the critical role of the Chairman in promoting regional cooperation and advancing the collective interests of the Southwest states, the conference affirmed its commitment to working closely with the Chairman to achieve the shared goals and objectives of the Southwest Speakers Conference.”
