Put your house in order, conclude on next Speaker – PDP’s Atobatele to APC

An elected member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Lukmon Atobatele, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to put its house in order and conclude on who to put forward as the Speaker of the tenth Ogun Assembly.

Atobatele told the Ogun APC leadership to “settle their differences amicably and stop shifting blames on the newly elected members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in their tussle for the position of Speaker and other principal offices.”

Recall that the inauguration of the tenth Ogun Assembly was suddenly postponed on Tuesday morning, a few hours before the event.

The Clerk of the House, Deji Adeyemo, who announced the postponement did not explain any grounds on which the statutory event was put on hold for a week.

But, there were speculations that the postponement had to do with the inability of the leaders of the APC in the State to agree on who should be the next Speaker.

It was learnt that some stakeholders within the party are averse to Olakunle Oluomo returning as the Speaker for a second term.

This, our correspondent learnt, was a result of the N2.5 billion Assembly fund he was alleged to have diverted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

There are rumours that the Tuesday inauguration was postponed because some members elected under the APC and those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have joined forces to vote Oludaisi Elemide, as the new Speaker in place of Oluomo.

Speaking with our correspondent, Atobatele of Abeokuta South State Constituency 1, distanced the PDP members-elect from the crisis in electing a Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the tenth Assembly.

According to him, the talks that the PDP caucus is backing either Oluomo or Elemide of the APC to become the next Speaker of the Ogun House of Assembly were unfounded as they have no ulterior interest in who becomes what, being a minority group in the Assembly.

“It is in our interests to steadily monitor and master the workings of the Assembly, in line with extant rules and guidelines, to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people and as well protect their interests.

“Obviously, we cannot dictate to the majority as a minority group. All those insinuating we would support Hon Elemide over former Speaker Oluomo are just assuming. We don’t even belong to the same political party, so how can we know their workings? Anyway, all these rumours are expected,” he said.

Atobatele, who condemned the sudden shift of the inauguration date, however, said “the PDP caucus is ready to work in unity for the interest of their constituents and the good people of Ogun State.”

He urged the ruling party to avoid any further postponement of the inauguration rescheduled for June 20, saying such is unacceptable.