Sanwo-Olu’s rejected nominees: Tussle persists, as Speaker says Assembly will not bow to pressure
Stories by Moses Adeniyi
The tussle over the decision of the Lagos State House of Assembly, rejecting 17 of the commissioner-nominees of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has taken further wings as the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, has insisted the House will not bow to pressure, protest and criticisms.
Recall that the decision of the State Assembly to reject 17 of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s 39 nomination list had generated concern, particularly the rejection of key members of the Governor’s first term cabinet who played central role in the administration.
However, disregarding the criticisms and outcry that greeted the development, Obasa on Monday said the Assembly reserves the right to expose screening reports of the committee on the 17 rejected commissioner-nominees.
Obasa on resumption of plenary on Monday, warned those planning protests and sponsoring media articles to desist, saying the House would not be threatened over the issue.
Obasa said it was unfortunate that whenever the House refused to be a ‘rubber stamp’ to a governor’s request, then it would be interpreted by the public that the lawmakers were fighting the governor.
“If anybody wishes to know the reasons for the decision, they should approach the House.
“However, we will not be forced to spill our observations, and we reserve the rights to expose the report of the screening.
“We are not going to be threatened by the civil society organisations who wish to protest.
“It is their right. He who lives in a glasshouse do not throw stones,” he said.
The Speaker said the Assembly would continue to work together with the executive because there was no reason to fight.
He, however, noted that the Assembly had the constitutional rights to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the nominees of the governor.
The formation of the Lagos State Cabinet for the second term of Governor Sanwo-Olu assumed more controversies than could be thought, as the State House of Assembly last Wednesday withheld approval for no less than 17 of the Governor’s 39 nominees as Commissioners/Special Advisers.
Of the 39 list submitted to the House on Friday July 28, by Sanwo-Olu, the House ended the screening approving 22 out of the entire nominees.
Among those who were left out were key members of Sanwo-Olu’s first term cabinet which was disbanded in May.
Recall the lawmakers had earlier lamented the list had no broad coverage across local government areas in the State.
Obasa, who presided over the plenary last Wednesday, had said the confirmation process followed rigorous and detailed screening of the nominees by a ad-hoc committee led by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Fatai Mojeed.
The confirmation was done through a voice vote as Obasa mentioned the name of each of the nominees.
Following the voice vote, the lawmakers rejected 17 of the 39 nominees.
Those confirmed include: Layode Ibrahim, Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, Bola Olumegbon, Mr. Idris Aregbe, Ms. Abisola Ruth Olusanya, Mr. Moruf Akinderu Fatai, Mr. 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, Mr. 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 lawmakers include: Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Mr. Yomi Oluyomi, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose, Ms. Barakat Bakare, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, Engr. Olalere Odusote, Dr. Rotimi Fashola, Mrs. Bolaji Cecilia Dada, Mr. Sam Egube, Mr. Olalekan Fatodu, Mrs. Solape Hammond, Mr. Mosopefolu George, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, Mr. Seun Osiyemi, Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka.
“We will continue to do our job, we will continue to do our oversight function,” Obasa stated.
Meanwhile, NewsDirect had gathered that the major clause around the lawmakers’ position was largely informed by the factor of political patronage to satisfy interests of those who were said to have worked for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State during the last election, as well as to compensate those who lost their bids to vie for certain posts and those who stepped down based on negotiations.
It was also gathered that among those who were left out were members of the cabinet of Sanwo-Olu’s first term who were said not to have worked to obtain the goodwill of the lawmakers.
Upon receipt of the nomination list, lawmakers had during their plenary earlier this month expressed their dissatisfaction over the list submitted by Sanwo-Olu, saying the list did not reflect their expectations, cater for certain interests and those of their constituencies.
They had noted specifically that the list excluded some local governments and constituencies.
Some consequently had called on the governor to review the list, while others made a case that the nominees for local government areas should be attached to the list.
Some of the lawmakers had argued that loyalists and party members deserved to be nominated as much as technocrats, stressing that the party has within its ranks, technocrats who could be nominated.
They noted that those who sacrificed their ambitions for the party or lost during the last election could also be nominated as commissioners and special advisers to serve the people in those capacities.
The decision of the House followed a similar position of the Senate which rejected the nomination of Immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai with two others namely, former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Senator Abubakar Danladi; and Stella Okotete as Ministers by President Bola Tinubu.
Of the President’s 48-man list, the three were the only nominees who were rejected by the upper chamber for security reasons.
