Rotimi Makinde Congratulates Gbajabiamila As President Tinubu’s CoS, Felicitates With Akpabio, Others As Presiding Officers Of 10th National Assembly
Sahara Weekly Reports That A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Hon. Rotimi Makinde has congratulated the 9th Assembly Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila on his appointment as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The media space was earlier awash with reports of how Gbajabiamila officially bowed out of the National Assembly to concentrate on his new appointment as President’s high profile kitchen cabinet’s member.
In a message made available to journalists on Wednesday, Makinde described the choice of Mr. President to have Gbajabiamila as the CoS as a matter of square peg in a square hole.
According to the former lawmaker, who represented Ife Federal Constituency at the 7th Assembly, the wealth of experience garnered over the years by Gbajabiamila both in private and public life will come handy in shaping the tempo of policies and actions of the new administration, adding that he is a thoroughbred politician with unmistakable patriotic zeal.
Makinde stated: “Mr. President has demonstrated his rich capacity for finding and working with the finest of brains to achieve desired results by appointing one of the most experienced contemporary Lawmakers in Nigeria as his Chief of Staff and there is no doubt in my mind that Nigeria will experience a seamless Legislative/Executive synergy in steering the ship of governance particularly at a time like this.
“Working in close contact with him at the National Assembly during the 7th Assembly legislative years gave me a first-hand experience of his impeccable intellectual prowess and knack for excellence in his result-oriented initiatives.
“June 11, 2019, was a day to remember in Nigeria’s history because that was the day that the Nigerian Parliament, for the first time, got someone who had occupied both the Minority and Majority leadership positions in our history elected as Speaker. Having garnered experience from both sides of the divide, Gbajabiamila was truly prepared for the job ahead of him; and today again, as a golden fish with no hiding space, he has been honored with another national assignment.”
Makinde also in the statement extended his felicitations to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and their deputies on their election, urging them to see the offices entrusted in them as sacred.
He urged the new National Assembly presiding officers to do all within their powers to not only nurture and deepen the institutions of the legislature but also the country’s promising democracy.
Their responsibilities now, he said, “is to compliment and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deliver on his administration’s progressive agenda and truly take the country to the level of renewing every lost hopes with detailed, timely and progressive legislative initiatives and restore a sense of patriotism to the exalted offices they now occupy”.
Makinde said:
“I congratulate Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and their deputies, Senator Jibrin Barau and Hon. Benjamin Kalu, on their election as presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly.
“To have been selected by such overwhelming majorities by their peers is a wonderful honour and a clear demonstration of the implicit confidence reposed in them as leaders and legislators. The offices these leaders have been entrusted with are sacred and must not be toyed with.
“Their election in a free, fair and transparent manner is therefore a further demonstration of the fact that our democracy is functioning well. It also reaffirms party supremacy because these officers are also the choice of our governing All Progressives Congress and the party’s caucus in the National Assembly.
“I also congratulate those who contested the various positions but did not win at present for putting up a gallant fight. However, the time has now come to put aside all differences and rally round the new officers to work together.
“I wish the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker and all their colleagues in the National Assembly a successful and impactful tenure and once again congratulations.” Makinde stated.
