The proposed bill by the Osun State House of Assembly
seeking to penalise public skating has sparked a sharp divide between the All
Progressives Congress, APC, National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru and the
Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun.
Senator Basiru criticised the bill, calling it unnecessary
and urging the Assembly to focus on more urgent legislative concerns.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his gubernatorial
campaign organisation, Basiru who is a gubernatorial aspirant under the APC in
Osun State, described the proposal for six months’ imprisonment or a N250,000
fine for public skating as laughable and a step backwards.
“We are disturbed by the news of the proposal of punishment for open skating in Osun State. For us, it is coming when skating stars are being discovered in Nigeria.
“In Lagos State and neighbouring Oyo, people are investing
in the sporting activities, and if Osun cannot tap in, it shouldn’t have come
up with the punishment,” he said.
He berated the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly,
Adewale Egbedun, saying he should have known better, especially as a youth, to
promote sports rather than support restrictions.
He called for the immediate withdrawal of the bill and a
fresh approach involving consultations with stakeholders in the skating and
sports communities.
“Allowing such to sail through is not only backwardness for
Osun but laughable. We should encourage discovery of talents,” he added.
Basiru also called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to intervene
and stop what it called a legislative misstep.
Meanwhile, Speaker Adewale Egbedun has defended the bill,
stating that its purpose is to ensure public safety, not to suppress youth
engagement in sports.
In a statement signed by his legislative aide, Olugbenga
Akanfe, Egbedun said, “The bill does not seek to ban skating outrightly.
Rather, it aims to prohibit public skating, particularly on highways and busy
roads.”
He highlighted that unsafe practices, such as skaters
clinging to moving vehicles, pose severe risks to both the skaters and other
road users.
“Tragically, in such instances, drivers may be held liable
for incidents they did not cause and could not prevent,” he noted.
The Speaker stated that one of the main causes of unsafe
skating in the state is the lack of designated facilities for the sport.
However, he disclosed that a new skating arena would be
included in the ongoing redevelopment of Osogbo City Stadium by Governor
Adeleke.
He drew comparisons to Lagos State under the Fashola
administration, where skating on public roads was restricted under traffic
regulations.
“This development will provide a safe and structured
environment for skating enthusiasts.
“If Lagos State, as far back as the Fashola era, recognised
the dangers of unregulated skating on public roads, then the steps taken by the
8th Assembly of Osun State should be seen as commendable,” he said.
He reiterated that the goal of the bill is to reduce
accidents and promote responsible sporting practices among young people.
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