By Mumini AbdulKareem
The tussle for the Speakership of the incoming Kwara State House of Assembly took another dimension last night following decision by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to drag the legislature to court.
Three members of the party, Maruf Yusuf Olaniyi, Abass Adeoti and Usman Hussein have instituted a case against the House Clerk, Hajia Jummai Halimmat Kperogi seeking to compel her to use the present house rule to inaugurate the speakership of the 9th Assembly come June 6.
According to the claimants, Kperogi should follow the rule of the house mandating the clerk to swear in the most experienced member as the Speaker, a move widely believed will pave the way for the emergence of Hon Saheed Popoola, the only ranking lawmaker among the 24 member-elect under the APC during the last general elections.
Counsel to the claimants, Seun Ijaodola confirmed the development to this reporter last night in a telephone chat adding that the court is yet to fix a date for the case.
We have just filed the case and waiting for the court it will be assigned to and I think we should be able to get that before the close of work Monday (today). We have served the clerk on the issue through her office,” he noted.
Efforts to get the clerk were not successful last night as several calls made to her phone did not connect. A text message sent to her on the issue was yet to be replied when this paper went to bed last night.
Popoola, representing Balogun/Ojomu of Offa constituency is the most experienced and may emerge speaker if the party decided to adopt him in the present scenario.
The Governor-elect is from Kwara Central while his deputy is from Kwara South where Popoola hails from. However, the people of Kwara North have continued to clamour for the position of Speaker of the state House of Assembly, this according to them will ensure fairness and equity in the sharing of positions in the state.
Although the party is yet to come out openly on its stand on the Speakership position, the plaintiffs suspect that the party may unnecessarily meddle into the issue to favour a particular district; hence they want the APC to stay off the internal affairs of the legislature.
Following viral online reports penultimate week that he has stepped down from the race to settle for deputy speaker, Popoola denied the report adding that “I am still in the race”
The lawmaker, who spoke with this reporter from Ghana, said he has been quiet over the issue because of the directives of the party to members to be silent on the issue of the speakership of the 9th Kwara Assembly.
According to him “I have not stepped down; I am only silent because of the directives of the party to be silent about the issue of speakership. I can’t step down and I am not stepping down for anybody,” he stated.
Quoting a close source to Popoola, the online report said Popoola allegedly stepped down out of respect for cohesion of the party and party leadership.
“While he is eminently qualified to be the 9th Speaker of the Assembly, he has listened to voice of elders and therefore will support the consensus candidate of the party from Kwara North…”
