A fresh crisis is brewing in Lagos after the state’s house of assembly confirmed 22 out of the 39 cabinet nominees sent by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for screening and approval in what seemed to be a powerplay between the executive and legislative arms of government.
Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the day’s sitting on Wednesday, said the confirmation followed rigorous and detailed screening of the nominees by an ad-hoc committee led by the Chief Whip of the House, Fatai Mojeed.
He commended the committee for its effectiveness and urged the confirmed nominees to always remember that they are in office to serve the people and not individuals.
Obasa, also promised that the House would continue to do its best in the interest of the State.
The confirmation was done through a voice vote as Obasa mentioned the name of each of the nominees.
However, the lawmakers rejected 17 of the nominees.
Those confirmed include Layode Ibrahim, Mobolaji Ogunlende, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, Bola Olumegbon, Idris Aregbe, Ms. Abisola Ruth Olusanya, Moruf Akinderu Fatai, Kayode Bolaji-Roberts, Engr. Abiola Olowu, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih- Awokoya, Mr. Yakub Adedayo Alebiosu, Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN, Mr. Tunbosun Alake, Gbenga Oyerinde, Dr. Adekunle Olayinka, Dr. Jide Babatunde, Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, Mr. Abdulkabir Ogungbo.
Those not confirmed by the House include Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Yomi Oluyomi, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose, Ms. Barakat Bakare, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, Engr. Olalere Odusote; Dr. Rotimi Fashola, Mrs. Bolaji Cecilia Dada, Sam Egube; Mr. Olalekan Fatodu, Mrs. Solape Hammond, Mosopefolu George, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, Seun Osiyemi, Rotimi Ogunwuyi, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka.
Recall that tension had been brewing over the commissioner nominees list submitted to the House by Sanwo-Olu.
Only recently, both Muslim and Christian groups expressed divergent opinions over the religious composition of Sanwo-Olu’s commissioner and Special Adviser nominees list sent to the state House of Assembly for approval.
This came following series of lobbying and horse trading by various interest groups to have their candidate nominated.
The list sent to the State House of Assembly contained a mixture of technocrats, and politicians as some of the immediate past cabinet members returned, and others dropped.
The former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Omotoso, led the pack of the returnees which included; Budget and Economic Planning counterpart, Egube, ex-Commissioner for Health, Prof. Abayomi; Commissioner for Housing, Akinderu-Fatai, MAF, ex-Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Adeyoye and his Education counterpart, Wahab made the list.
Among the former cabinet members dropped by Sanwo-Olu, surprisingly, include: Commissioner for Finance, Rabiu Olowo, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, and Yetunde Arobieke,,Wealth Creation and Sola Giwa, Special Adviser on Transportation, among others.
Meanwhile, cabinet nominees were screened by a committee of the House which began sitting two weeks ago.
All the cabinet nominees were expected to be screened by last week Wednesday, to pave the way for inauguration by the governor.
At the commencement of the screening, Fatai had noted that the task before the lawmakers was in line with a provision of the 1999 Constitution.
He added that the recommendation of the committee would be presented to the House.
“The House of Assembly has the mandate to screen and confirm the nominees for the position of commissioners and Special Advisers,” Fatai stated.
Members of the committee include: Adedamola Kasumu, Ajomale Oladipo, Saheed Babafemi, Nureni Akinsanya, and Ajani Owolabi.
The others are Sa’ad Olumo, Sanni Okanlawon, Adewale Temitope, Ajayi Oladele, Abdulkareem Jubril and Orekoya Abiodun.
Lawmakers fault composition of the list
Some members of the state House of Assembly had also, expressed dissatisfaction over the apparent exclusion of their councils and party faithfuls in the list.
The lawmakers had lamented the exclusion of some parts of the state in the nomination.
While some urged the House to take another look at the list, others urged that the nominees’ local government areas should be attached to the list.
The speaker, however, pleaded with his colleagues who expressed dissatisfaction with the list.
Speaking at plenary, Obasa asked the lawmakers to understand that all local government areas in the state could not produce a commissioner.
The speaker, agreed that the list of nominees needed to also include the LGA they come from for the benefit of the state in particular and the general public.
Before directing the Clerk of the House, Barrister Olalekan Onafeko, to write the Governor requesting for the nominees’ local government areas, Obasa reminded his colleagues that Governor Sanwo-Olu has the prerogative to nominate those to work with him while it is the duty of the lawmakers to screen the nominees and confirm them if they meet needed requirements.
He noted, “The law gives room for the Governor to decide who he wants to choose; the House also has the power to deliberate on his decisions.”
Earlier, in a ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance, Aro Abiodun (Ikorodu 2) told his colleagues that despite contributing to the success of the All Progressioves Congress, APC in the last election, Ikorodu got one slot in the list.
Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Ademola Kasunmu, lamented the exclusion of nominee from Ikeja.
His colleague, Nureni Akinsanya from Mushin, also noted that the list did not come with the local government areas of the nominees.
He also maintained that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has technocrats who were not considered.
His position was supported by Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 2) and Temitope Adewale, who both urged the Governor to reconsider the nominations.
Joseph maintained that those who sacrificed their ambitions for the party or lost during the last election could also be nominated as commissioners and special advisers as they could still serve the people in other capacities.
Also, a lawmaker, Femi Saheed, explained that he had the opportunity to serve as secretary of the State APC, for seven years and was aware that the party has technocrats which can be nominated.
“The House must thoroughly look at the nominees to make sure they are worthy of the nomination,” he said.
In his reaction, the Deputy Chief Whip, David Setonji, noted that “it seems like we have not learnt our lesson. In one of the wards in my constituency, it was hard but in the end we proved ourselves and here is the list and not a single name from my LGA.”
Setonji lamented that Badagry was not represented enough.
Ladi Ajomale observed that the list was heavily one-sided in terms of religious consideration.
Muslim, Christian groups kick
The process suffered set-back when Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, slammed the Lagos State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, over its position on the controversy surrounding the number of Christians nominated as Commissioners by Sanwo-Olu.
It was gathered going by the list there are 31 Christians and eight Muslims on the nominees’ list.
State chairman of CAN, Stephen Adegbite, had during a media briefing, supported the list of commissioners submitted and backed the decision of Sanwo-Olu.
Adegbite, noted that Sanwo-Olu’s choice was “based purely on merit, competence, and sufficient capabilities to deliver on the set goals and objectives of the government.”
Reacting, Ishaq Akintola, MURIC’s Director in a statement earlier, said the press conference addressed by Adegbite, in which he supported the lopsided list of commissioners submitted by Governor Sanwo-Olu, was in bad taste.
Akintola, wondered if Lagos CAN could have acted the same way if it was Muslims who had 31 commissioners while Christians had 8 only.
“Our response to his (Adegbite’s) vituperations and irrational position is very simple. Governor Sanwo-Olu supported the Muslim-Muslim ticket not because he was convinced that it was democratic and therefore right, not even because he was fully in support of a Muslim ruling the country, but because he had no choice but to support his principal and political godfather.
“Failure to do so would have endangered his chances of securing a second term. Sanwo-Olu’s perceived support for the Muslim-Muslim ticket was therefore a self-preservation move. It was not from the governor’s heart but from his pharyngeal cavity.
“It was therefore most inconsiderate and very selfish for Lagos CAN chairman to base his rationalisation of the ratio 31:8 of Lagos commissioners’ list on Sanwo-Olu’s support for the Muslim-Muslim ticket. They are two incompatible situations for the following reasons.
“But the hypocrisy of the Lagos CAN chairman will become more glaring if he can agree that he will accept the same arrangement if vice versa, i.e. if Muslims are given 31 slots while Christians get 8 only come 2027 when it will be the turn of Muslims to occupy Alausa secretariat.
“Will CAN accept that from a Muslim governor in 2027? No, CAN cannot. The press conference held yesterday by CAN Lagos chairman must therefore be reduced to sheer hocus pocus and the height of hypocrisy. Could Lagos CAN have acted the same way if it was Muslims who had 31 commissioners while Christians had 8 only,?” Akintola queried.
Muslims protest
Apparently dissatisfied with the list, Muslims across the state last Wednesday, took to the street of Lagos to kick against over what they termed “marginalization” in the selection processes.
The Muslims, who are demanding a total review of the list, said that the demonstration was against the alleged lopsidedness of the governor’s nominations for commissioners in Lagos.
The President, the Muslim Community of Lagos, Professor Tajudeen Gbadamosi, was joined by leaders of notable Muslim organisations who have been part of the struggle from inception.