In a move to resolve the current impasse between the Executive and the Legislative arms of the Lagos State Government over rejection of 17 cabinet nominees by the latter, members of the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, on Wednesday, stormed Lagos House, Marina, in a closed-door meeting with Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu and Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA), Mudashiru Obasa.
The council, an apex decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was led by Prince Tajudeen Olusi – the meeting, according to a credible source, was slated for 4pm.
As of the time this report was filed, it was not clear if members of the state assembly were invited.
Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Speaker, Obasa, Olusi, among other party bigwigs all attended the truce meeting that lasted several hours.
Earlier, Obasa had on Tuesday, met with Chairmen of 20 Local Goverment Area, LGA, and 37 Chairmen of Local Council Development Area, LCDA, at the Assembly Complex, over undisclosed critical issues.
However, a source told Vanguard, “A form of reconciliation was reached. There is possibility for some nominees to be reconsidered while there are new entrants into the list.”
Meanwhile, earlier in the week, the GAC had pleaded with residents to give it some time to resolve the dispute.
Olusi, who acknowledged that there is a dispute between the governor and the assembly, pleaded with residents and the media to give the party leaders time to resolve it.
According to Olusi, “It is the responsibility of the Executive to present a list to the House of Assembly and that responsibility falls on the shoulder of the governor. It is also the responsibility of the House of Assembly to examine the list as presented by the governor in accordance with the Constitution of our country. The constitution places a certain responsibility on the legislature.
“Also, it is the responsibility of the party to step in where there is a dispute between the two parties. The party produces the governor; the party also produces members of the House of Assembly. The governor is there to ensure that the manifesto of the party is implemented. So, also the legislators are sponsored by the party.
“I can tell you on this issue, the party is doing all that is necessary to resolve the conflict. I know the press as well as the general public mean well for our party and the country. They should give us some time to resolve the dispute in all its ramifications.”
Obasa, while shedding light on why 17 Commissioner-nominees presented by Governor Sanwo-Olu were rejected by the house, at the resumed sitting, said, “Anybody who is interested to know why we have taken such decisions they should approach the house.
“The House as a body restrained itself from exposing what was discovered during the screening exercise and we would not be forced to spill.
“The House came up with so many resolutions which the executive did not carry out. Nobody has noticed that, nobody has said anything about that.
“So, I don’t know what informed the erroneous belief that the House is fighting the governor.
“We must get this right that we have our own constitutional responsibility and have exercise the responsibility by clearing some and denying some and we have our own reasons for saying no, which I believe people making inputs left and right do not have the privilege.
“We must understand what political party is all about. It is about a group of people who aspire to gain power, so we gain the power since 1999 and we have to sustain it. We must protect our party, we’ve had technocrats in the past and this would come and go but we will remain.
“So, I am trying to protect my party and I would continue to do that, but we are not going to sacrifice service to our people in the name of technocrats, no.
“We have said no and it remain so. If there is any reason for us to reverse our decision, if there is a germane and convincing reason, I think we will but not by threat. We are politicians if not for us the technocrats won’t be appointed it was due to our success that they got appointed and to our own estimation if they had not done well I think we have right to say no and we have said no.
“We are not going to be threatened but it is good to advice -a man living in a glass house not to throw stone, if not the glass may soon be shattered.”
Another source said, “Election is different from appointment and if we are to base on this point the elected have many voters demanding for dividend of democracy.
“The Governor should pick two Commissioners/Special Advisers, the Deputy Governor should pick two Commissioners/Special Advisers, let the Speaker and other members pick the 35 Commissioners/ Special Advisers pro-rata on the performance of each constituency.
“Otherwise, Sanwo-Olu should look inwards and appoint those that slaved day and night to get him elected for the second term.”
The House had insisted that there was no going back in its decision not to screen the remaining nominees except it was convinced beyond doubt.
Presiding over the plenary Tuesday, Obasa maintained that the House did a thorough work in the screening exercise diligently, adding that all nominees were given opportunity to express themselves as their pasts, present and future were probed.
Sanwo-Olu had on July 13 sent the letter for commissioner-nominees to the Lagos State House of Assembly for approval.
Obasa, on August 3, pleaded with his colleagues who expressed dissatisfaction with the list of commissioner-nominees sent by the Governor for screening and confirmation after heated and stormy session.
However, a source who preferred not to be mentioned told our correspondent that, “The cold war between the Governor and the Speaker is what could be regarded as battle of supremacy. It has nothing to do with citizenship or who is an indigene and who is not.
“He is fighting against engaging more technocrats in Sanwo-Olu’s administration than politicians who fought for victory of the party during the last general elections.
“He has been meeting with the entire Council chairmen in all the different wards to get their loyalty on the issue. Obasa is not a Lagosian and he cannot be fighting for indigenes or non-indigenes.
“Obasa is fighting against the commissioner-nominees list that is dominated by technocrats instead of politicians to have fought for the stability of the party. He is not alone on this issue. He is just the spokesperson and Sanwo-Olu needs to listen to the prayer.”
In his reaction, Obasa declared that politicians are representing the people in their different constituencies.
“We are the representatives of the people, the mouthpiece, the ears and the sight of the people, we have been given the responsibility by the constitution and we have done what we believe was the best in deciding what should be the best for the State.
“We won’t allow people, who do not understand what it is all about, we have to guide them and we must protect our party, I have the right to protect my party and I will continue to do that but we are not going to sacrifice service to the people in the name of technocrats.
“The technocrats who were rejected do not know their Wards. They all travelled out during the general elections. The victory of the party was inconsequential to them.
“If we all had travelled out and didn’t vote for Sanwó Olu, will he be in position to appoint the rejected nominees who don’t know their wards and polling units?
“There is no basis for me and the House to fight the Governor, is a brother, a friend, a colleague in serving the people of Lagos state.”