By Ayodele Oni
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has clarified that the issue of who becomes Speaker of the incoming Seventh House of Assembly is purely the business of the party.
He maintained that he has no preferred candidate for the State’s House of Assembly Speaker.
Since the election of the 26 member-Assembly during the March ,18, 2023, poll, various interests within and outside the state have been canvassing for a particular member who is a first timer as lawmaker.
Going by the zoning formula of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, the speaker is expected to come from the northern senatorial district since the governor is from central and deputy from south.
Ekiti central senatorial district is made up of five local governments of Ilejemeje, Moba, Ido- Osi, Oye, and Ikole as well as newly created Area Development Councils, (LCDA)
Oyebanji made this declaration on Wednesday during a retreat for members-elect and outgoing members of the Ekiti State 6th House of Assembly held at Ikogosi Warm Springs and Resort.
He declared “I want to plead with members- elect not to allow the position of the Assembly to divide them. I have intelligence report that meetings are being held both within and outside the state by some former Hon members who are recruited as consultants and members elect both new and returning.
“I want to say categorically that I have no hand in it. I have not asked anybody to shop for Speaker of the 7th Assembly on my behalf and I have no preferred candidate.
“All principal positions in the house belong to the party and at the appropriate time, the party will take a decision and I will abide with whatever the party decides.
“All of us are members of the APC and I can work with any one of you. This is the first and last time I will comment on this matter.”
