Sanwo-Olu To Announce Cabinet Before Friday Deadline

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is set to submit the list of his commissioner nominees for second term to the state House of Assembly within the 60-day constitutional requirement.

The Fifth Alteration (No.23) which amended the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 requires the President and Governors to submit the names of persons nominated as Ministers or Commissioners within 60 days after taking oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or State House of Assembly; and for related matters

Sanwo-Olu who dissolved his cabinet on May 26, was sworn-in for a second term on May 29.

And eight weeks running, he is yet to submit his Commissioner nominees to the state House of Assembly for confirmation.

Today makes it 58 days since the governor took oath of office, which means he has just two days left to meet up with the 60-day constitutional requirement.

But speaking in response to the delay, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Gboyega Akosile, told THE WHISTLER that Sanwo-Olu will beat the 60-day constitutional requirement.

“He’s going to meet up with the constitutional requirement of 60 days,” Akosile said.

The governor has been criticized for the delay in forming cabinet. THE WHISTLER recalls that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, early this month, in a statement titled ‘Lagos Without a Cabinet’, had accused him of running a one-man show.

Adegboruwa had said that the state fund was being spent daily without commissioners and without an Executive Council duly constituted by the governor.

The senior lawyer noted that a state as cosmopolitan and complex as Lagos deserves a functional cabinet.

“Presently, Lagos State is operating without an Executive Council in place. The House of Assembly has since been inaugurated and its officers duly elected.

“Money is being spent daily without Commissioners and without an Executive Council duly constituted.

“His Excellency, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu is on the saddle for his second term in office, so he is not new. Dr. Alex Otti, who is a first-term governor, has since constituted his cabinet, so too Mr. Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu was sworn in for a second term in office on May 29, 2023. It is now well over one month and he seems to be running a one-man show. So too, the governors of Oyo and Ogun states, who are also on their second terms in office,” Adegboruwa had said.

“I, therefore, urge the governor to promptly constitute his cabinet without further delay so Lagos will not be on autopilot,” he added.

With 48 hours left, Sanwo-Olu is expected to submit the list of his Commissioner nominees between today and Friday.