2023: Lagos Assembly Backs Southern Governors On Rotational Presidency

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have thrown their weight behind the southern governors’ position that the next president of Nigeria in 2023 should be a southerner.

Rotational presidency was one of the cardinal resolutions of the Southern Governors Forum at their recent meeting in Lagos.

The matter was presented during plenary on Thursday as a motion by the member representing Oshodi/Isolo 1 Constituency, Akeem Shokunle.

Commenting on the motion, the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, urged the Federal Government to accept the governors’ resolutions on rotational presidency, creation of state police, ban on open grazing of cattle, and sharing of resources to the states, among other resolutions.

Obasa, subsequently, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to convey the position of the House members to the Chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum, and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, President Muhammadu Buhari, and members of the National Assembly.

2023: Lagos Assembly Backs Southern Governors On Rotational Presidency

The legislators equally called on the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government to ensure proper monitoring of immigrants into the country to prevent the spread of the third wave of COVID-19.

The attention of the House was drawn to the third wave of COVID-19 by the House Committee Chairman on Finance, Rotimi Olowo, during plenary on Thursday.

Olowo tasked the Federal Government to ensure that people coming into the country from outside were quarantined for one week, as well as ensure that they were subjected to the mandatory COVID-19 test.

“The Lagos State Government should embark on the enlightenment of members of the public on the need to observe COVID-19 protocols, such as wearing face masks, washing of hands, and maintaining social distance.

Such enlightenment should be in schools, churches/mosques, market places, and clubs. The vaccines must also be made available to the people of the state

“The Governor should direct the state Commissioner for Health to ensure proper COVID-19 tests across the state,” he said.

The Speaker, who noted that the vaccines might not cover the new wave of the pandemic, stressed the need to maintain all precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic in the state since another lockdown might not be feasible due to the current economic downturn in the country.

Other members of the Assembly spoke in favour of the two motions. The House later embarked on a recess and adjourned sitting to Tuesday, September 7, 2021.