CSO Charges Lagos Assembly To Give Reasons For Rejecting 17 Of Sanwo-Olu’s Cabinet Nominees

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), has charged the Lagos State House of Assembly to give reasons for rejecting 17 out of the 39 cabinet nominees of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

THE WHISTLER had reported that the House confirmed only 22 out of the 39 nominees, rejecting 17.

At a plenary on Wednesday, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa had said the confirmation followed screening of the nominees by an ad-hoc committee.

The confirmation was done through a voice vote by the lawmakers as Obasa mentioned the name of each of the nominees.

But speaking with THE WHISTLER, the Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said that if the House has good reasons for rejecting the nominees, it should be transparent about it.

The rejection of the 17 nominees was the first time something like this is happening in the state since the return of democracy in 1999.

“It’s actually a good omen. We only hope they’ve good reasons beyond politics, why such an incident happened.

“If they’ve good reasons, we would urge them to be transparent about it, so that those of us upon whom they would govern should know why some of them (nominees) have been rejected,” Adeniran said.

He noted that the nominees are said to be competent and the criticisms against the government on their nominations are not tailored towards any of them being corrupt or having been indicted.

“We would urge the Lagos State House of Assembly – we’re not blaming them that they’ve taken a decision – but they’ve to give us reasons why they took the decision.

“As a matter of fact, most of those they’ve rejected are good hands on any job that they’ve put them in the past,” Adeniran said.

Those who were rejected include former Commissioner of Health, Prof Akin Abayomi; his counterparts Mr. Gbenga Omotoso (former Commissioner of Information and Strategy); Engr Olalere Odusote (former Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources), Mr. Sam Egube (former Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget), Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo (former Commissioner of Education), among others.

These former Commissioners who were rejected by the House are said to be the best performers in the first tenure of Sanwo-Olu.

The House had through a 12-man ad-hoc committee chaired by the Chief Whip, Fatai Mojeed, screened the 39 cabinet nominees from August 13 to 16.

THE WHISTLER reported that Sanwo-Olu had on July 28, transmitted 39 cabinet nominees to the House for screening and confirmation.

But since the list was submitted to the House, there have been criticisms coming from different quarters.