As Speaker “I Commit to Attend All Members' Events" - Hon Umaru Mohammed Bago

As Speaker; “I Commit to Attend All Members Events;- The Lesson from my Trip to Iseyin, Oyo State.

The job of the Speaker, House of Representatives is well cut out for him.

To be a successful Speaker means you have to be a thorough bred Nigerian as I am, but innately wired to be relatable, making members care and concern your topmost priority as I captured sufficiently in The BAGO Plan. 

In furtherance of my commitment to The BAGO plan, I left everything behind last Thursday, May 16 2019 to honour my friend, colleague and brother Hon. Shina Abiola Peller as he officially commissioned his Shina Ayo Empowerment Program Head office in his constituency, Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola Federal Constituency and homestead.

One of my reasons of wanting to be a Speaker is also to be able to use that office to the maximum benefit of my colleagues and their constituents. 

As I have promised, I will be a Speaker for all Nigerians,, and the House of Representatives will be the house and place of refuge for Nigerians.

To achieve this, I cannot be cocooned or insulated from my colleagues, their hopes, aspiration and their constituencies? Impossible!

That is the reason behind my expressly stating in The BAGO Plan, that I will prioritize members concerns and well-being.

It is in keeping with this promise that informed my trip to Iseyin, Oyo State and I met a very warm and affectionate people who love their son and extended the warmth to visitors, in spite of the on going Ramadan.

My visit afforded me the opportunity of travelling on the Oyo-Iseyin road, which made this trip challenging, but thankfully if tomorrow, Hon. Shina makes this road an issue, as I believe he should, and demands any form of legislative intervention, it will be easy to fully support same.

In a sense also, attending members events has the inherent opportunity of a firsthand interaction with real Nigerians, with real concerns beyond the illusionary relative comfort of Abuja.

I could feel Kabiyesi, Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Dr. Abdul Ganiyy Adekunle Salaudeen’s pain when he said,” Hon. Bago, did you see our road?”

I answered in affirmative, he ended by saying when you become Speaker Insha Allah don’t forget your trip to Iseyin.

I reassured Kabiyesi that I will work with my brother Hon. Shina to do all we can to make the road better than it is.

Lastly, on my way out I saw a police patrol vehicle “Peugeot 504”and , I am shocked that Nigerian Police still has such an antiquated patrol vehicle particularly in a border town location like Iseyin.

Fighting crime with a vehicle like that will be a great challenge in these days of sophisticated dynamics of crime and criminals.

The 9th Assembly must ensure that our oversight trickles down to the last details for maximum impact on our constituents.

Surely, my avowed commitment to continue to be a part of every member’s events, their cares and concerns was further reinforced by this trip to Iseyin in Oyo State,as it further consolidated my commitment to my colleagues and Nigerians.

I congratulate Hon. Shina Peller and salute the members who made it there.

It’s a good beginning for the 9th Assembly and the Ramadan Teaching titled “Uniting for the right purpose” is an apt message for us honourable members elect as we make up our minds about who will be our Speaker at the 9th Assembly. 

He must be a Speaker of the people. 

That is who I commit to be.