Can Fuad Laguda Fill Femi Gbajabiamila’s Big Shoes?
Comparison is the thief of joy, so goes the old proverb. The House of Representatives has become the soup pot for this comparison. With Fuad Kayode Laguda (fondly called FKL), the new member of the House of Representatives for Surulere 1 Constituency, one might expect a new wave of life in the legislative government arm. But comparing newcomers like FKL to their predecessors, case in point Femi Gbajabiamila is a venture in futility.
Since the emergence of FKL as Surulere 1’s representative, many media houses have opened a sort of betting campaign. The seasoning of this campaign is to determine how well FKL fits into the shoes of his predecessor, Gbajabiamila. At present, the votes are mostly against the economist-turned-politician.
It has to be said that Gbajabiamila’s shoes are huge. Before becoming the Chief of Staff to his lord, President Bola Tinubu, Gbajabiamila held the prestigious position of being the Speaker of the House of Representatives. For the people of Surulere 1, that is a peak that nobody else has reached.
In light of this, FKL’s emergence as the winner of the February 3 by-election for the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a bitter-sweet pill. Although it is no fault of his, FKL does not wield as much charm as his predecessor, nor does he possess that paradoxical quality of being flexible but never compromising, unlike Gbajabiamila, who wears that vesture well.
Even the other members of the House might look down on FKL. After all, despite his impressive academic, professional, and political portfolio, there can only be one Gbajabiamila. Will FKL be able to get labour unions to stand down or whisper a word or two into the ears of the president to startling effects?
Probably not. FKL may wear Gbajabiamila’s big shoes, but he may never fill them completely. Some believe that a taxman can never reach Gbajabiamila’s political heights and influence. Some think that there is no need to.