36year old Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin on Saturday emerged the new Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria.
Hon Adebo Ogundoyin who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP emerged at a national meeting of the Conference in Abuja following the withdrawal of the Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Taiwo Oluomo from the race.
The appointment of Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin was thereafter confirmed through a unanimous voice vote by the speakers in attendance at the Conference.
This was consequent upon the expiration of the two year tenure of the leadership 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.
This time it is the turn of the Southern region to produce the Chairman of the Conference.
With this, the Oyo State Speaker has made history by becoming the youngest Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria since its establishment in 1999.
This is also the first time a member of an opposition party will emerge as the Chairman of the Conference.
In his acceptance speech, Oyo Speaker, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin expressed his willingness to selflessly serve the Conference.
“I therefore accept this honor with a great sense of gratitude, humility, responsibility and an overwhelming determination to selflessly serve this assemblage of highly revered Rt. Hon 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 honors 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 Executivr council. ” Ogundoyin said.
He appreciated the outgoing Executive Council of the Conference for projecting and actualising the objectives of the conference in the last two years.
Oyo Speaker assured that the new Executive Council would not only work assiduously to achieve the goals of the Conference but would also 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 organizations and various notable institutions across the world.
“We will explore possible ways of ensuring a harmonized 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” Ogundoyin added.