Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, on Monday denied sponsoring an opinion which accused Governor Babatunde Fashola, and former Lagos Commissioner for the Environment, Muiz Banire, of doing everything to ensure his political downfall.
The opinion, entitled ‘My Ordeal In The Hands Of Dr. Muiz Banire’, had detailed a lot of weighty allegations against the duo while alleging that Banire had been having a love affair with Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, a member of the State House of Assembly and wife of another politician, alleging further that the amorous affair produced a love child.
The article, written as if it was sponsored by the speaker, accused Fashola of carrying out a revenge on the speaker because the House investigated an allegation levelled against him by a group named “True Face of Lagos” prior to the 2011 elections. The article also said Banire decided to team up with the governor in the fight against him simply because the House denied Tejuosho, an impeached former Deputy Speaker, from becoming the deputy speaker of the House in the current session.
The speaker’s group, in its denial of Ikuforiji’s involvement in the highly opinionated article, urged people to disregard the story.
“Mr. Speaker wishes to specifically distance himself from such statement which did not emanate from either him or his official media aides. We wish to inform the colleagues, political associates, the media, admirers of Mr. Speaker, the peace loving people of Lagos and the general public to disregard the statement differing him with the personalities mentioned in the unguided statement,” they said.
“Mr. Speaker has lots of regards for all the personalities mentioned in the statement and would not allow his office to be dragged into playing cheap and immature political games by whoever conceived such damaging publication. He has himself described the write up as ‘not only malicious but damaging to all the personalities mentioned in the article, including himself’. His relationships with persons mentioned in the article are healthy and robust.
“As a matured and responsible person occupying a significant position in the state, we like to ascertain that such statements demean Mr. Speaker’s status and he does not expect anyone to believe that such low-cost statement could be coming from him.”
The group said hiding under such discrediting write up is a clear demonstration of cowardice, insensitivity and a calculated attempt by the ghost author whose intent is to trigger conflicts and damage the existing harmonious relationship amongst all the personalities attached to the article.
“We like to inform the public that Mr. Speaker remains committed, focused and a peaceful fellow who will never submit to unhealthy approaches to issues concerning his person or his office,” the speaker’s group added. “He believes that high level of decorum is required in the political and administrative office, from the personalities mentioned and the offices they are occupying, hence there is no point raising issues to destabilise peaceful co-existence among the people in government in such uncalled manner.”
