Kunle Adelabu
-Declares for another term
Hon. Sanai Oyeniran Agunbiade, Chairman, Nigerian Majority Leaders Forum and Majority Leader, Lagos House of Assembly
The Majority Leader of the Lagos State Assembly and representative of Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade has said that he has made Ikorodu proud with his representations at the State, Southwest and across the federation.
The ranking legislator said this while declaring his intention to run for the fifth term as the representative of the Ikorodu Constituency I in the State House of Assembly come 2023.
The fourth – term lawmaker, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria’s State Majority Leaders Forum and that of the Southwest Majority Leaders, based on his legislative performances, said that he has been the Ikorodu’s glowing and shining face not only in the Lagos State legislature, but also among his peers in the Southwest and across the nation.
Hon. Agunbiade spoke with THE IMPACT during an exclusive interview where he made his intention to run for another term known for the first time.
The lawmaker said that his representation has not only impacted on his immediate constituents but also Southwest geographical zone and entire nation at large while also adding that he is the most qualified and better positioned among other aspirants to give Ikorodu quality representation and more dividends of democracy.
“It is true that I have been in the House for some time and I am appreciative of members of my Constituency for being magnanimous and loving to have voted for me back to back; 2007 to 2011, 2011 to 2015, 2015 to 2019 and 2019 to this present time”, Hon. Agunbiade said appreciatively.
“In all, my constituents have voted for me in four elections consecutively, I am now seeking another term. Reason is that I have been in the Assembly and I know the workings and how a Parliament runs and how you can exploit the benefits in the legislature for the overall interest of your people and your state.
“You are only a representative of your constituency but you are a lawmaker of the state and not a lawmaker of your constituency. That is why a member of Parliament is first and foremost a representative of his people but in the overall analysis, he is a lawmaker of the state or the federation if you are in the federal parliament”, he explained.
“So, we must not reduce membership of the parliament to that of the constituency alone, we should look beyond the constituency and think of the interest of the state, making good laws in the interest of the state of which a constituency out of the 40 in Lagos State is a unit.
“While you are thinking of the unit, you must also be thinking of the larger community which is the state. You must fit into the requirements of the two. In the requirement of the constituency, you must be available to your people. You must be closer to them and know their needs.
“In the larger community perspective, you must be articulate to canvass your position in the interest of your people on the floor of the house where you sit with other members to form a legislature and work for the interest of the state”, he emphasized.
“You must join in the process of lawmaking and debates. You must be a party to good laws that would be made in the interest of the good governance of the state. So, I know the nexus between being a representative and a lawmaker”.
Hon. Agunbiade, stated that the privilege he has had to serve two – terms as Majority Leader, has widened his scope and made him a better legislator strategically positioned to bring more benefits to his people.
“Having been in the House of Assembly for this time, I know that there is need for us to continue marching forward and I can say without being immodest that I have been a reflective glowing and shining face of Ikorodu in the Lagos State House of Assembly”, he said.
“As I have the privilege of representing my constituency year over year, my fourth term of being in the house so far made it the second term that I have been the Majority Leader of the House. That privilege has widened my perspective, improved my skills in inter – personal human relations and increased my knowledge in lawmaking and legislature.
“The truth of the matter is that there are; just a few starters that can navigate very well on the floor of the House where there are many ranking members. I am in the fourth term, while some are in their third term and some others in their second term and few in their first term.
“And in the Parliament, there is what we call ranking and there are considerations for the ranking members. That is how it is across the globe. If your constituency does not have ranking members, that constituency cannot take advantage of ranking if anything is to be done on that basis in the legislature.
“So, I know that we still need to maintain that glowing and shining face. By being a ranking officer and the Majority Leader, there are so many things that that status has afforded me in the legislature and which has benefited Ikorodu. Based on all of these, I feel convinced that we need more dividends of democracy; we need more relevance in the scheme of things”, he said.
The ranking lawmaker said that he has had legislative experience as former Students’ representative in higher institutions that he attended and later students’ leader coupled with his advocacy skill as a lawyer, before going to the Assembly and that he has the ability to deliver more to his people.
“I am not saying that I am the only person that can do it, but as far as the present circumstance is concerned, I am the most experienced among those persons that are aspiring for the Assembly seat in Ikorodu Constituency l and I feel that if there is a task that should be done, there is need to consider the ability of an individual to deliver the task.
“Presently, I am the most qualified, having been there. You don’t buy experience and a lot of it is required to present matters in the House. To your constituency, you must face your constituents. I am the shining face of Ikorodu in the House of Assembly.
“And because I think that my knowledge and my skills in legislature are still useful to my constituency and the state, that is why I am offering myself again. Let it not be said that he didn’t tell us that he wanted to aspire more. I offer myself again to serve.
“That is why I said that let us look at the bigger picture. When you look at the larger picture, you will not be talking about S.O.B as an individual, you will talk about S.O.B as an interest; as an investment in the legislature. I am an investment in the legislature for Ikorodu and I am not a bad investment at all. By my skills, activities, knowledge and support and the magnanimity of my constituents and political leaders and grace of God, I am today, the Chairman of all Majority Leaders in the Southwest and also, the Chairman of all the State Majority Leaders in Nigeria”, he said.
“These are credentials that can be paraded by Ikorodu. So, don’t look at S.O.B to have done four terms but the larger picture will require Ikorodu to look at the benefits of returning him to the House of Assembly?
“The larger picture will require you to look at the benefit an individual will have in representing us in the House. The larger picture is that for anybody that will be representing us, what are the chances and benefits for Ikorodu? Will he make our face continue glowing or deface it? Will he increases the shining status or reduce it? If we look at it objectively, the people of the constituency can change their representative at any time if such representative is not representing them very well, but I am a good representative”.
Also in the interview, Hon. Agunbiade said that he has used his representation to save lives, houses, facilitate infrastructural developments, especially roads, employments among others and as well as giving very strong voice and representation to Ikorodu.
He also said that he has used his representation and position as the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petitions, to review all the laws in Lagos State, amend them and pass them again.
He also said that one of the laws that he sponsored has helped in no small measures in curtailing the ravaging activities of the landgrabbers, popularly known as ‘Ajagungbales’, and giving people of his constituency and state respite in the process.
Beyond the Lagos State Assembly, the lawmaker said that as the Chairman of the Southwest Majority Leaders, he works with others in having a uniform House Rules which, according to him, has aided and enhanced legislature which other geopolitical zones are now yearning to copy.
Full interview to be published soon.
