Ayodele Olalere
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Wednesday, said the earlier rejection of 17 of his 39 commissioner nominees by the Lagos House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa was part of the constitutional duties of the lawmakers as a way of checks and balances on the executive arm of government.
The governor also said the furore generated by the rejection was normal but denied that there was no rift between him, the Speaker and the lawmakers.
It is recalled the lawmakers had earlier rejected 17 of the 39 nominees sent by the governor resulting in claims that the Speaker is at loggerhead with the governor.
A new list of 18 nominees were later sent by the governor out of which 16 were confirmed and two rejected again.
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However, while speaking at the swearing-in of 37 Commissioners and Special Advisers at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, the governor commended the lawmakers for doing a thorough job in screening the appointees, adding the legislative and the executive belong to “the same coin but different sides of a coin.”
“I am not unaware of the feelings in some quarters that the initial rejection of some nominees by the Lagos State House of Assembly, necessitating the submission of a revised list of nominees, signified a call to arms between the executive and the legislature. I reject such feelings in totality. Were the executive designed to be omnipotent and omniscient, the very important oversight function of the legislature will be needless,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added, “Our Constitution recognises that our people will be best served with a system of checks and balances that is led by independent bodies in each arm of government. This system demands collaboration, and a willingness to give and take without rancour, and that is what the executive and legislature of Lagos State, in the past few weeks, have fully demonstrated in arriving at this event today. I thank the Right Honourable Speaker and all members of the Lagos State House of Assembly for their diligence, cooperation and contribution.
As representatives of our people in their various constituencies, they did the job required of them by our constitution. This executive vouncil is so much better for their efforts,” he added.
The governor urged the new appointees to be humble, listen and learn. He further admonished them to build on the achievements recorded the administration in its first four years in office by taking “our people closer and closer to our dream of a Greater Lagos.’
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The new appointees and their portfolios are: Lawal Pedro, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General; Bolaji Dada Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Akin Abayomi; Commissioner for Health; Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for Environment; Moruf Akinderu Fatai, Commissioner for Housing and Gbenga Omotoso; Commissioner for Information and Strategy.
Others are Ibrahim Layode, Commissioner for Home Affairs; Mobolaji Ogunlende, Commissioner for Youths and Social Development; Dayo Alebiosu-Bush, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure; Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture; Rotimi Fashola, Special Adviser, Agriculture; Gbenga Oyerinde, Commissioner for Special Duties; Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Commissioner for Tourism; Osiyemi Oluwaseun, Commissioner for Transportation; Tunbosun Alake, Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology; Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, Commissioner for Establishment,Training and Pension; Engr. Abiola Olowu, Special Adviser, Commerce, Industry and Investment; Kayode Bolaji Roberts, Commissioner for Local Government Affairs; Mosopefoluwa George, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget; Sola Giwa, Special Adviser Transportation; Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser, eGIS; Idris Aregbe Special Adviser, Tourism and Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih-Awokoya, Special Adviser (Health).
Others include: Adekunle Olayinka, Special Adviser, Works and Infrastructure; AbdulKabir Opeyemi Ogungbo, Special Adviser, Taxation and Pension; Folashade Ambrose-Medem, Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment; Bola Olumegbon, Special Adviser, Central Business District; Jamiu Alli-Balogun, Commissioner for Basic Education; Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, Special Adviser, Environment; Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen, Special Adviser, Political and Civic Engagement; Akinyeri Bankole Ajigbotafe, Commissioner for Wealth Creation; Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, Special Adviser, Housing; Yekini Nurudeen Agbaje, Special Adviser, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs; Olumide Oluyinka, Commissioner for Physical Planning, Abayomi Samson Oluyomi, Commissioner for Finance; Iyabode Oyeyemi Ayoola, Special Adviser, Central Internal Audit and Tolani Sule Akibu, Commissioner for Tertiary Education.
