The All Progressives Congress (APC) Cnaidate for Lagos Central Senatorial District, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni has stated that he remains the best candidate to represent Lagos Central Senatorial District at the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.
Rt Hon Eshilokun-Sanni spoke at the Eko Club interactive session with political parties’ candidates on Wednesday, 11 January, 2023 in Lagos.
Reeling out his contributions to the development of law-making in Lagos, in particular, and Nigeria, in general, he noted that he was the prime mover of the constituency project bill in the Lagos State House of Assembly during his first term in the House between 1999 and 2003.
The bill became a law and a watershed in the nation’s legislative history because it allows legislators to access fund for the implementation of development projects in their constituencies.
He stated that Professor Chuba Okadigbo, then Senate President and Head of the National Assembly came to Lagos to study the law and introduced it at the National Assembly. Today, it has been adopted by all state legislatures.
He also noted that he was one of the group of legislators that started the idea of the legislature being independent of the executive. Today, that bill, moved at the Lagos State Assembly, has become an important restructuring item at the National Assembly.
Further to these, he said that his current position as the deputy Speaker made him the face of the Lagos State House, as he interacts with the different sectors of the society on behalf of the House; noting that this has enriched him tremendously in acquiring knowledge of these different sectors.
The Lagos Assembly Deputy Speaker reiterated his determination to collaborate with lawmakers of likeminds to ensure a law is passed to accord Lagos a special status as well as payment of economic derivation fund to the state in view of its contribution to the economy of the country.
The President of Eko Club, Hon. Tajudeen Agoro, a colleague of Rt. Hon. Eshilokun at the Lagos Assembly in 1999, confirmed that indeed Eshilokun-Sanni was the prime mover of the Constituency Project Bill.
Agoro stated that given all that has been said about WES, his achievements and what he knows about him, Eshilokun “will be a great asset to the National Assembly, because of his invaluable experience in legislative matters”.
Present at the interactive session held in one of the halls in Eko Club were the executive members of the club, former executive members, elders in the club and indeed, many members of the club.
APC was also ably represented. Among the big shots were Rt, Hon. Rasheed Fashina, one time Deputy Speaker of the Lagos Assembly; Hons. Tunde Gafar and Tajudeen Ajide, former Chairmen of Ojo and Surulere Local Governments respectively; and Prince Ifalade Oyekan.
