By Halimah Olamide
The 17 nominees for the position of Commissioners and Special Advisers who were thrown out by the Lagos state House of Assembly on Thursday have intensified moves to upturn the decision of the lawmakers.
The House of Assembly, using voice votes, had rejected 17 of the 39 nominees submitted by the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying that after careful screening, they did not merit being appointed into the cabinet of the state.
The news of the rejection had reportedly hit the nominees most of whom were said to have been shocked by their fate.
NPO Reports gathered late Thursday that moves were on to ensure that the rejected nominees make it back to the list of commissioners to be cleared by the lawmakers.
A competent source confided in the NPO Reports that the development had created some further divisions within the party leadership in Lagos state with some party bigwigs claiming that their candidates were shot out for certain other interests.
A party chieftain in the state who is also close to the Speaker, said majority of the rejected nominees were dropped because they are believed to contribute nothing to the re-election of Governor Sanwo-Olu as well as their failures to have meaningful contributions to the party’s efforts to win election.
“The results of the presidential election where APC was defeated by Labour Party is a major factor in all of these. While the party has lost face in some parts of Lagos, some of the commissioners are believed to be so apolitical that no single efforts were made by them to at least mobilize for support in their areas of residence,” said the source who pleaded anonymity.
Speaking further the source said some of the lawmakers claimed that they don’t know some of the nominees in the local government areas where they claim to live.
“In fact there was the case of one of them who was confronted by the lawmaker when he visited the House. He asked him where he lives in Lagos, and he told him his local government of residence. The lawmakers asked him some salient questions and his answers showed that he has nothing to do with the politics of the area. These are some of the issues,” the source added
However, despite agreeing with the House members that the ruling party cannot continue to reward people who contribute noting to ensuring party victory at polls, some leaders of the party have also argued that rejecting the nomination of the former Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi showed that the House went too far in its brief.
“Yes, someone like Akin Abayomi is not a politician and may not even have anything with our politics, but we cannot deny the fact that what he lacks in political skills, he has displayed in his professional excellence to the credit of the entire state. We all still remember his roles in the handling of the COVID pandemic. There is no way you can throw such a skilled professional under the bus because they don’t know him as a politician in his area. So, don’t be surprised someone like him will make it back,” the party chieftain told the NPO Reports
According to information available to the NPO Reports, the Governor, who is said to have travelled out of the country has made contact with the speaker, Mudasiru Obasa on how to resolve the logjam.
It was gathered that the Speaker, who pleaded with the Governor to let the House exercise its powers, had reportedly told Sanwo-Olu that this is the only chance the APC has to restore confidence in party followers.
“The governor will be able to swing things in favour of aa few of the rejected nominees but I can tell you not all of them will make it. As a matter of fact, the Governor himself has on his table some petitions against some of the nominees which he overlooked and now that the Assembly has kicked, it’s a convenient point for him to make other choices,” another source said.
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 House 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.