AbdulRazaq Atunwa was yesterday elected as the new speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly in Ilorin during its seventh Assembly. Mr Atunwa, was a former commissioner for Finance during the administration of Bukola Saraki and later governorship aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Clerk of the House, Saka Amuda Kanike conducted the election and directed the entire proceeding.

Mr Kanike after he had received a motion of nomination by Kamal Oyekunle Fagbemi, a member representing Oyun constituency and seconded by Iliyasu Ibrahim on the candidature of Mr Atunwa, went ahead to ask for more nominations by the elected members. In the absence of counter-nomination, Mr Atunwa was declared the speaker and the oath of office was administered to him immediately.

Other officials Muhammed Gana-Yisa, a Professor of Agriculture and former commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the state was elected as the deputy speaker, while Abraham Ashaolu and AbdulFatah Salman Baakini were elected as the majority leader and deputy majority leader respectively.

Similarly, the house elected Iliyasu Ibrahim and Sikirat Anako as chief whip and deputy chief whip of the house. In his acceptance speech, Mr Atunwa promised not to disappoint his colleagues and will always be ready to carry them along while discharging his duties in accordance with the norms of the house and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The new speaker attributed his political success to Olusola Saraki, the Waziri of Ilorin stressing that "most of us succeeded because of the legacy he had built for many years." Also present at the inauguration was the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed and other top government officials.