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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has been elected as Chairman, Conference of Speakers of the State Legislatures of Nigeria.
Ogundoyin was elected chairman at the national meeting of the Conference in Abuja on Saturday, following the withdrawal of the Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Taiwo Oluomo, from the race.
The Oyo Speaker assumed the leadership role after the expiration of the two-year tenure of the Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Hon Abubakar Suleiman.
The Constitution of the Conference stipulates a two-year term of office for its elected leadership and this is rotated between the northern and the southern part of the country.
It is the turn of the southern region to produce the chairman of the conference.
With his election, the Oyo State Speaker becomes the youngest Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria since its establishment in 1999.
In his acceptance speech, Ogundoyin expressed his readiness to selflessly serve the Conference.
“I accept this honour with a great sense of gratitude, humility, responsibility and an overwhelming determination to selflessly serve this assemblage of highly revered Rt. Honourable Speakers of Nigeria’s state legislatures.
“I would like to say that today marks another significant milestone in my life and indeed in my political journey because as the youngest amongst you, you have unhesitantly given me the mandate to steer the ship of the Conference, not minding my young mind. I see this as one the highest honours bestowed on me and one of the greatest challenges and responsibilities placed before me in recent years.
“I am, however, poised for the task and ready to justify the confidence reposed in me by all our highly esteemed Speakers of state legislatures in Nigeria. I shall work and relate with everyone as we are all indispensable stakeholders in the assignment giving to the new executive council,” he said.
Ogundoyin also appreciated the outgone executive council for projecting and actualising the objectives of the Conference in the last two years.
He assured that the new executive council will work assiduously to achieve the goals of the Conference and set more ambitious and realistic goals.
“We are ready to place the Conference on a higher pedestal by working to make it more relevant in the grand scheme of things in our dear nation. We shall equally ensure a more robust connection and network with other parliaments, parliamentary organisations and various notable institutions across the world.
“We will explore possible ways of ensuring a harmonised and uniformed House Standing Rules for all state legislatures in order to enhance our legislative institutions and processes as well strengthen our oversight functions. This will assist us in addressing emerging challenges, and aligning with international best legislative practices,” the Oyo Speaker added.