Two years of 8th Lagos Assembly: X-ray of activities of lawmakers; performers and bench warmers

Two years after the proclamation of the 8th Lagos State House of Assembly, the Assembly largely acknowledged to be operating above the common standard of excellence and the proud of state legislatures in the country. ALADE TASMA in this reports, conduct a critical analysis of assessing the legislative performance of the House by X-raying individual members’ contributions at plenary in the last two years.

The House: Lagos State House of Assembly has become a template and reference point to which State Parliaments should function and has continued to sustain its front line position among the 36 States House of Assembly in the country. By general assessment, the House has remained decisive and categorical in its pronouncements and resolutions.

In X-raying individual members of the House, while some members of the acclaimed number one State Assembly have by their active participation and robust debate on the floor of the House remained distinguished and outstanding, others are noted and have established reputation as chronic bench warmers visible but not heard.

Those lawmakers who have distinguished themselves and have remained outstanding and whose efforts have made the House the template and envy of other state legislatures in the country must therefore, be celebrated.

Credit must also be given to the supportive civil servants and staff of the Assembly headed by a brilliant, intelligent, dedicated and hard working Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni and his immediate predecessor, Mr. Olusegun Ganiyu Abiru.

Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa:

This pride of Agege is the Speaker of the House and the head of the 40 member House. The brilliant and visionary legislator is a fourth time member of the House, representing Agege constituency 01. As the State Chief lawmaker, Obasa has continued to demonstrate leadership qualities and left no one in doubt that he is in firm grip of the House.

The 8th Assembly under his leadership holds the record of passing more bills and resolutions than the previous Assemblies in the period under review.

The Speaker who has three Bills to his credit has continued to give the Assembly a positive direction to the admiration of his colleagues and his political arch rivals.

His sense of maturity with which he has been steering the vehicle of the House to a steady and continuous progress has won the chief lawmaker millions of admirer in and out of the state.

However, the fourth term representative of Agege constituency 01 need to improve on his time consciousness, though, this may perhaps be due to daily engagements, activities and demands of his office. Nevertheless, the Speaker needs to work on this.

This remains the noted weakness that seem to have been inherited from the leadership of the 7th Assembly. This notwithstanding, Rt. Hon. Obasa has done well and got a thumb up and rapturous applause for his leadership role in two years of the 8th Lagos Assembly.

Hon. Wasiu Sanni-Eshinlokun:

This representative of Lagos Island constituency 01 is next in rank to the Speaker. The former Chairman of Lagos Island West and former All Progressive Congress APC, Secretary in the state is a very brilliant and intelligent lawmaker who periodically engages the House in robust debates and make intelligent suggestions.

The Deputy Speaker though appears too reserved; he nevertheless, has two bills to his credit and could be pointed as one of those who have made the 8th Assembly tick and a reference point in the congress of the State Houses of Assembly. Got a thumb up and multiple applause for his performance in the period under review.

Hon. Sanai Agunbiade:

He is the House Majority Leader, a delight to watch and invest total attention to on the floor of the House. Agunbiade is currently representing Ikorodu constituency 02 for the third consecutive term.

This brilliant lawmaker remains the engine room of the House and top among those that keep the current Assembly vibrant. This lawyer turned politician is not only seen and heard on the floor of the House, his colleagues also learn from his contributions and submissions as they pay total attention and maintains absolute silence while focusing at his direction whenever he has the nod of the Speaker to take the floor.

The Ikorodu born politician and the former student union president of the Lagos State University is an intelligent debater and excellent contributor whose views and opinions are highly respected by members on every issue.

For his performance in the period under review, Agunbiade got a rapturous applause and multiple thumbs up.

Hon. Lateef Rotimi Abiru:

This intelligent lawmaker is currently representing Shomolu constituency 02 for the third consecutive term, Abiru is the Chief disciplinarian of the House, very intelligent, vibrant and a brilliant debater who contributes brilliantly to issues on the floor of the House.

The Lagos born political player remains a functional and active member who is committed to the legislative activities of the House. This legislator no doubt remains a parliamentarian’s role model to his constituency.

Abiru got a thick salute and a thumb up for his contributions to the vibrancy of the 8th Lagos Assembly in the period under review.

Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh:

This representative of Apapa constituency 02 is the Deputy Majority Leader of the House. Brilliant and intelligent, the lawmaker has continued to prove his worth; this is evidenced on his brilliant contributions on the floor.

The two term DML is largely seen and heard at plenary sessions.

For his performance in the period under review, the lawmaker got a salute and thumb up.

Hon. Omotayo Oduntan:

This third term representative of Alimosho constituency 02 is the Deputy Chief Whip of the House. The 60 years old politician was first elected into the House in 1999 and made a return in 2011 and the current representation in 2015. The female lawmaker is highly visible and heard at plenary.

This representative of Alimosho is very active and enjoys adding her voice to issues on debate on the floor of the House and has been able to register her presence in the House, which therefore gives credence to the saying that what a man can do, a woman is in position to do it better.

For her efforts in the last two years she got an applause and a thumb up.

Hon. Sikiru A. Osinowo:

This is the “JAGABAN” of the Lagos Assembly. This representative of Kosofe constituency 01 is highly revered in the House; Osinowo is intelligent and politically matured, this he brings to bear whenever things get knotty in the House.

He belongs to the old generation of members in the House and his sense of humour which he often use to inject life into the House at sittings, is well appreciated by members.

This respected lawmaker is noted to be highly influential in the corridors of power in the state and remains a “Cardinal” in the political temple of the national leader of the All Progressive Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

For his vibrancy, legislative activities and his stabilising efforts in the House and the current Assembly in the period under review, the fourth term representative of Kosofe 01 got a thunderous applause and thumbs up.

Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho:

This Pretty and Stylish female lawmaker is one of the three most ranking members in the House and the most experienced female member having been elected into the House four consecutive times to represent Mushin constituency 01.

A brilliant and intelligent debater and contributor, she is loudly visible, heard and has remained active and vibrant.

For her efforts in the steady achievements of the House in the last two years, the lawyer cum politician and lawmaker got a resounding applause and thumbs up.

Hon. Rotimi Emmanuel Olowo:

This brilliant lawmaker is representing Shomolu constituency 01 for the third term consecutively and currently chairing the House committee on Budget and Economic Planning.

Olowo is a very articulate debater, he is largely seen and heard at plenary with his articulate presentations on every issue thrown up for debate on the floor.

This representative of Shomolu has received a big salute and thumb up for his contributions in the period under review.

Hon. Moshood Lanre Oshun:
This lawmaker is representing Lagos Mainland constituency 02 and currently chairs the House committee on Public Account [State]. Oshun who is representing his constituency in the House for the third consecutive time has continued to demonstrate legislative prowess at plenary. He deserves an applause for his efforts in the period under review.

Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi:
He is currently on his second mission to the Lagos House where he is representing the people of Ojo constituency 01. Brilliant, intelligent and articulate Ogunyemi who currently chairs the committee on education has continued to demonstrate legislative skills on the floor of the House by his articulate presentations and submission while contributing to debates in the hallowed chamber.

Confident and matured, the lawmaker remains one of those that enjoy total attention of his colleagues whenever his light is on in the hallowed chamber.

The success of 2016 Yoruba submit which had almost all the paramount rulers and first class traditional rulers of Yoruba race in attendance organised by the House and burdened by education committee under his chairmanship remains permanent in the memory and social-cultural diaries of all Yoruba sons and daughters.

For his brilliant efforts and legislative activities in the period under review, Ogunyemi got big kudos, loud ovation and thumbs up.

Hon. Abiodun Tobun:
The brilliant and matured presentations and submissions of this comrade lawmaker at plenary cannot go unnoticed at House sittings. The representative of Epe constituency 02 has demonstrated his capability and skill in legislative activities as the labour leader turned politician who currently chairs the House committee on Works is highly visible, heard and impressive.

For his legislative activeness and contributions to the continuous success of the current Assembly in the last two years, Tobun has got a loud applause and thumbs up.

Hon. Tunde Braimoh:

Although, the lawyer turned politician is on his first term mission in the Lagos Assembly where he represents the people of Kosofe constituency 02, he currently chairs the House committee on Information, Publicity and Strategy.

His selection as the chairman of the information committee was adjudged a round peg in a round hole by the way he has continued to propagate the Lagos Assembly as a political institutional brand that was established principally to positively touch the life of every resident of the state in particular and Nigeria in general.

Hon. Braimoh appears to have been well prepared for the legislative challenges prior to his election into the House. This is evidence by his uncommon sense and matured manner by which he contributes to issues in the hallowed chamber.

His political maturity and legislative sagacity has won him many admirers in and out of the Assembly. This lawmaker’s grammatical expressions on the floor of the House are sometimes seen competing with that of Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka hence the saying “Tunde Braimoh on the mic, bring out your dictionary.” this gave him the appellation “Oloyinbo nla” [Mr. Big grammar].

The representative of Kosofe 02 who has a Bill to his credit has practically demonstrated that he knows why he crossed over to the legislative arm of government after he served as the elected chairman of Kosofe Local Government 15 years ago.

This heavy dresser legislator is a brilliant contributor, an intelligent debater on the floor of the House. Braimoh could be fingered as another major contributor to the legislative success of the Lagos 8th Assembly.

Hon. Dayo Saka Fafunmi:

This representative of Ifako/Ijaye constituency 01 is currently on his third consecutive mission to the House and has continued to show some level of good performance on the floor of the House.

Seen and heard in the hallowed chamber, this lawyer in the making chairs the House committee on Environment. His efforts in the current Assembly has earned him an applause.

Hon. Fatai Mojeed Adebola:
This representative of Ibeju-Lekki constituency 01 though on his second four years mission in the House, appears still taking his time learning the legislative process. Visible, but occasionally add his voice to issues thrown up for debate in the hallowed chamber.

For his efforts in the last two years, the Ibeju-Lekki representative has got an encouragement applause.

Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu:

This representative of Agege constituency 02 has continued to show good performance on the floor of the House. Though, Ogundimu is on his second term mission in the House, he appears to have learned very fast going by the way he marshals his views, doing it in his own style trying to convince his colleagues at any debate in the hallowed chamber.

This representative of Agege is visible and heard on the floor. His good performance has earned the Finance Committee chairman thumbs up.

Hon. Alimi Kazeem Adebola:
This representative of Eti-Osa constituency 01 is on his second four years mission in the House, he has however, not been too impressive on the floor, visible but heard occasionally.

Alimi remains a member of the Lagos Assembly but not yet a lawmaker to reckon with, and for his effort, he got an encouragement applause.

Hon. Olusegun Olulade:

This representative of Epe constituency 02 belongs to the youth generation in the House and is currently on his second term mission to the House.

Youthful and vibrant, he has remained very impressive and consistent, a good debater and contributor on the floor. The Chairman of the House committee on Health remains the pride of the coastal town of Epe. Olulade is visible, heard, active and impressive.

His performance has earned him sound applause and thumbs up.

Hon. Raheem Kazeem Adewale:
This member is currently serving the people of Ibeju-Lekki constituency 02 on his second four years. Visible but not heard and has not been very impressive in the hallowed chamber. He remains a member, but not yet a lawmaker to reckon with. His effort has earned him an encouragement applause.

Hon. Adebisi Yusuf:

This representative of Alimosho constituency 01 is another active old generation member of the House. The former Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Authority chairman is on his second four year term in the House.

Bisi Yusuf is active, functional and impressive. An intelligent contributor and debater on the floor of the House, doing it in his own style.

For his impressive performance in the last two years of the current Assembly, the longest serving Council boss in the state got a resounding applause and thumbs up.

Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode:
This representative of Badagry constituency 01 is on his third consecutive term in the House, Seen, heard and sometimes injects life to change the mood in the hallowed chamber with his comical contributions to issues thrown up for debate.

For his effort in the period under review, Olayode got an applause.

Hon. Gbolahan Olusegun Yishawu:
Currently on his second term in the House as the representative of Eti-Osa constituency 02, Yishawu has been very impressive, contributing brilliantly and intelligently to issues before the House whenever his light is on in the hallowed chamber.

Very articulate and logical in his presentations.

His performance has earned the House Committee chairman on Waterfront Infrastructures a sounding applause and thumbs up.

Hon. Oladele Adekanye:
This representative of Lagos Mainland constituency 01 is currently on his first four year term in the House. Visible and heard, Adekanye is logical and intelligent whenever he had the floor to make his contributions and add his voice to debate in the hallowed chamber.

The lawmaker remains a good debater and for his efforts in the last two years, the former Lagos Mainland Local Government Chairman gets thumbs up.

Hon. Akeem Shokunle Olushola:
He is on his first four year term representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency 01 and one of the six Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), member who recently decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This member is largely visible in the hallowed chamber, but not heard and has not been too active on the floor of the House. He appears as one who is still learning from his experienced colleagues.

Calm and easy going individual however, he remains a member and not yet a frontline lawmaker and for his efforts in the period under review, Shokunle got an encouragement applause.

Hon. Olusegun Victor Akande:
This representative of Ojo constituency 01 is on his first term in the Assembly and one of the two PDP members left in the House of the eight who were elected on the platform of the PDP into the Assembly.

Akande appears to have improved very fast by the way he contributes to issues thrown up for debate, the lawyer turned politician remains a participatory and functional Lagos lawmaker from the opposition party and his effort has earned him an applause and thumbs up.

Hon. Oladipupo Olorunrinu:
Is the second PDP member left in the Lagos Assembly representing Amuwo-Odofin constituency 01 on his first four year term. Youthful and vibrant, visible, functional and appears to be catching up very fast in the legislative processes and related activities going by his occasional contributions to issues thrown up for debates in the hallowed chamber.

His efforts so far in the period under review have earned him a thumb up.

Hon. Idimogu Emeka Jude:
This is another decamped member representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency 02 on his first term and the only Igbo man who has won election into the Lagos House. His election to the House further proves the cosmopolitan nature of the state.

Jude has however remained visible, functional and participatory in the hallowed chamber. He appears to have mastered the rudiments of legislative processes going by the way he contributes to issues and debates on the floor.

His efforts so far has earned him a thumb up.

Hon. Mohammed Folajimi:
He represents Ikeja constituency 01, he is also of the younger generation currently on his first four year term. The youthful son of the Nigeria current Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed is brilliant and vibrant.

Though, not a regular contributor on the floor, but he remains brilliant and logical in his contributions and submissions whenever he has the floor in the hallowed chamber.

His performance under the period for review has earned him an applause and a thumb up.

Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu:
Is another youth generation member of the House representing Ikeja constituency 02 on his first term. Adedamola is largely visible in the hallowed chamber and always tries to add his voice to issues brought forward for debate, but as much as he tries he remains unimpressive and not logical.

The youthful member appears not to be catching up so fast; he however, remains uncontrovertibly the best motion seconder of the current Assembly
His efforts so far in the last two years have earned him an encouragement applause.

Hon. Abdulsobur Olawale Olayiwola:
This member representing Mushin constituency 02 is on his first term in the House. Popularly known in the political circle as “OMITITI” meaning [the vibrator] but has not been able to live up to this alias.

The Mushin representative is largely visible, but has neither engaged in any robust debate nor makes articulate contributions at plenary. He appears to still be learning the legislative processes.

Olayiwola however, remains a member of the House and not yet a lawmaker of note and his efforts has only earned him an encouragement applause.

Hon. Desmond Olushola Elliot:

This Nollywood actor turned politician is representing Surulere constituency 01 on his first four year mission. Desmond has demonstrated that he is not only very good in the make-belief industry; he has also learnt the act of legislative processes and has made sure his voice is heard on the floor.

Though, on an average performance, he remains a functional member and a lawmaker in the current Assembly. His efforts so far have earned him an applause.

Hon. Shakirudeen Olushola Giwa:

This representative of Lagos Island 02 is another first timer in this current Assembly. Youthful, vibrant and functional, he has continued to justify his election into the House giving his input to the legislative activities on the floor of the House.

Giwa is visible, heard and participatory; he ensures his voice is heard in a very logical presentation at almost all issues before the House.

This representative of Lagos Island has earned for himself a resounding applause and thumbs up for his efforts in the period under review.

Hon. Rasheed Lanre Makinde:
He is the chairman, House Service Committee, representing Ifako-Ijaye constituency 02 and currently on his first four year mission in the Assembly.

The lawmaker belongs to the younger generation in the Assembly, largely visible in the hallowed chamber but occasionally heard. Intelligent and is catching up very fast with the legislative processes.

His efforts have earned him a deserving applause.

Hon. Nurudeen Saka Solaja:
This representative of Ikorodu constituency 02 is another member running on his first four year in the House. The Ikorodu born politician is seen in the hallowed chamber at plenary but heard occasionally.

Not a regular debater and does not engage the House in a robust and logical debate on issues. Solaja appears still learning, he remains a member and not yet a lawmaker of note.

He got an encouragement applause for his efforts so far in the last two years.

Hon. David Samuel Setonji:
This representative of Badagry constituency 02 is another first timer in the Assembly and currently chairs the House committee on Physical Planning. The Eegun born lawmaker is very articulate and intelligent, seen and heard.

Functional and participatory at plenary in the hallowed chamber, his efforts in the last two years has earned him an applause.

Hon. Olatunji Oluwa Fatai:
He is the representative of Ajeromi-Ifelodun constituency 02 and currently serving his first four year in the House. Oluwa is another decampee from the PDP to the ruling APC. Seen but not heard in the hallowed chamber, it appears he is still learning from his experienced colleagues.

This representative of Ajeromi-Ifelodun however, remains a member and not yet a lawmaker to reckon with and for his efforts in the last two years, he got an encouragement applause

Hon. Famakinwa Adedayo Olufemi:
Representing Ajeromi-Ifelodun 01, Famakinwa is another decampee member from the PDP to the ruling APC. Largely visible in the chamber, but heard occasionally. He remains a member and not yet a lawmaker of note and for his efforts in the period under review, he got an encouragement applause.

Hon. Akeem Bello:
This member was until his decamping to the ruling APC from the PDP the Minority Leader in the House. Representing Amuwo-Odofin constituency 02, he is on his first four year mission to the House.

Though, Bello was the ML until recently, he has however, remained non participatory at plenary, seen but not heard, he remains a member and not yet a lawmaker of note. His efforts has only earned him an encouragement applause.

Hon. Mosunmola Sangodara Rotimi:
She was until her decamping from PDP to APC the Minority Whip in the House, representing Surulere constituency 02 on her first four year in the Assembly.

Seen but not heard, not participatory and not active at plenary. She remains a member and not yet a lawmaker to reckon with, she got an encouragement applause for her efforts in the last two years.

Hon. Mojisola Lawal Lasbat:
This representative of Apapa constituency 01 is another first timer in the House. Seen, but not heard, non participatory and not active at plenary. She remains a member and not a lawmaker of note. She got an encouragement applause.