The Lagos House of Assembly received a letter from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, which caused controversy among lawmakers. In the letter, the governor requested the screening and confirmation of new nominees for cabinet positions. However, some lawmakers were concerned that the identities of five special adviser nominees were not disclosed. This deviation from the standard nomination process triggered an outcry from lawmakers who called for transparency.
During the assembly session, the Clerk of the House read out the governor’s request, which only identified one nominee, Mr. Abiodun Ogunleye, for the commissioner position. The absence of names for the remaining special adviser roles raised eyebrows among lawmakers and triggered immediate reactions. Speaker Obasa stressed the importance of transparency, saying “it is necessary for us to know who and who would become part of the cabinet.” Meanwhile, Deputy Majority Leader Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu expressed dismay at the failure to disclose all nominees and noted that this contradicted established nomination protocols, stirring concerns over procedural irregularities.
This unprecedented move drew the attention of various assembly members, including Hon. Ladi Ajomale and Hon. Owolabi Ajani, who emphasized the necessity of adhering to standard procedures.
“In this case, it is only the commissioner-nominee that had a name attached to it, and this is surprising. Maybe we should also pass information to the governor that the names should be specified,” Ajomale said.
They highlighted previous nominations that included comprehensive nominee details, facilitating smooth screening processes by the ad-hoc committee.
The omission of identities in the governor’s submission prompted unanimous agreement within the assembly to address this irregularity.
Speaker Obasa underscored the importance of clarity and transparency in the nomination process, stressing the need to promptly request the missing identities to ensure an informed and fair confirmation procedure.