Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has countered the decision of the Lagos House of Assembly in suspending Alimosho council chairman, Sulaimon Jelili.
The Assembly had mandated the vice-chairman, Akinpelu Johnson to act as the chairman of the council following the suspension of his boss.
But a letter dated October 8, 2024 signed by Kikelomo Bolarinwa, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, and addressed to Akinpelu Johnson, the vice-chairman of Alimosho LGA warned him not to step in as the acting chairman of the council.
“I write to refer you to Section 24A (ii) of the Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, which states “that the resolution of the House of Assembly passed in accordance with sub-section (I) shall be communicated to the governor for implementation.
“Sequel to the above, you are to note that the resolution of the above is subject to Mr Governor’s approval. Therefore, you are to await further directive of his Office which will be communicated in due course,” the letter stated.
The Lagos parliament had, in a plenary session on Monday, led by Mudashiru Obasa, unanimously voted to oust Mr Sulaimon after Sanni Okanlawon, the chairman of the House Committee on LG Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs, moved the motion alleging that the council chair chair “continuously disregarded this House’s authority and failed to comply with directives, showing blatant misconduct. We cannot stand by and allow such chaos to persist.”
Mr Sulaimon, at the council secretariat, addressed residents on Tuesday, dismissing his suspension by the state lawmakers as an abuse of due process.
“Just as the National Assembly cannot suspend a state governor, the state assembly lacks the right to suspend a local government chairman. Only the legislative arm of the council can suspend the executive chairman of a local government following due process,” Mr Sulaimon asserted.
Mr Sulaimon accused Mr Obasa of imposing a contractor, Abiodun Ejigbadero, on the council to collect market levies in Alimosho.
“The Speaker, Rt Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, wants to force the council to contract the market levy collection to Abiodun Ejigbader,o who is in the middle of the crisis that took place at Iyana-Ipaja market in April 2024, which led to the death of Micheal Ajayi.”
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