Ekiti Assembly elects new Speaker Gboyega Aribisogan days after burying Afuye

Ekiti Speaker Gboyega Aribisogan

Ekiti State House of Assembly on Tuesday elected Gboyega Aribisogan as its new speaker days after the burial of its former speaker Funminiyi Afuye.

Aribisogan, who represents Ikole Constituency 1 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was elected at plenary after securing 15 votes to beat his only contender, Olubunmi Adelugba (APC- Emure Ekiti Constituency), who got 10 votes.

The new speaker, who is a native of Ijesa Isu Ekiti, was the chairman of the House Committee on Government Business before his election.

Aribisogan was sworn in immediately after the election.

The former speaker, Afuye, who took over as speaker of the assembly on June 6, 2019, died on October 19, 2022, at the age of 66. He was buried on November 11.

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji led other dignitaries including the immediate past governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi; minister of industry, trade and investment, Niyi Adebayo; and Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Ayegbatiwa, to grace Afuye’s burial in Ikere-Ekiti.