Activists want Lagos assembly's reason for rejecting 17 commissioners

The Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) has urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to explain the rationale used in rejecting 17 out of the 39 commissioner-nominees sent by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Addressing newmen in Lagos on Monday, President of the group, Mr Alex Omotehinse, said those rejected were performing commissioners during the governor’s first term in office.

Supreme News reports that the assembly on Wednesday at plenary, rejected 17 commissioner nominees including former commissioner for health, Prof. Akin Abayomi and former commissioner for information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho.

The lawmakers did not give reasons for the rejection.

Supreme News reports that the lawmakers, however, confirmed 22 other commissioner nominees of the governor.

The exercise, which was done through a voice vote, was sequel to the screening of the nominees at the assembly’s Committee of the Whole at plenary.

The speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over it, said the exercise followed a rigorous and detailed screening of the nominees by an ad-hoc committee led by the Chief Whip, Mr Fatai Mojeed.

Omotehinse told newsmen that it was inappropriate for the assembly to play politics with the screening and confirmation exercise by rejecting the nominees without considering their various past achievements.

The president said it was most disheartening that the 17 nominees were reported to have been rejected on mere voice votes without the assembly putting forward logical reasons or that they were rejected for lack of merit.

He stressed that the recent rejection of the commissioners and special advisers forwarded by the governor to the assembly should be a great cause of concern to all well-meaning people of Lagos and the public.

Omotehinse said that they were not aware that some salient interests were always considered when picking political appointees.

“For instance, concerns were raised on the imperative to balance religious composition, geographical spread and even for compensation of loyal political devotees.

“These, however, are never the overriding consideration, merit, needs, tower high above any other factors.

“This is why we are overwhelmed on how globally acclaimed, credible professionals like Abayomi of the Ministry of Health who bailed the country out of the COVID-19 pandemic was rejected.

“Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, Omotosho and Sam Ebube of the Ministries of Education, Information and budget and planning respectively, should not have been rejected by any diligent, patriotic, growth- minded representatives of the people.

“These are rare breed professionals, quiet, unassuming social achievers that other saner climes are in dire search for their services,” he said.

Omotehinse said since 1999, persons of different hues have had cause to serve in the state cabinet, majorly on merit and professional criteria.

He noted that this, no doubt had made the Centre of Excellence to tap from the reservoir of the best brains in the country.

The president said human rights activists did not only applaud this unique essence of Lagos governance but they also unequivocally identified with it, and strongly recommended same for states in the Federation.

Omotehinse urged the assembly to be wary of throwing away the baby with the bath water.

He said the group was not only taken aback by this resolution but gravely disturbed by the likely fatal consequences this seemingly total politicisation of appointments might have in disrupting the enviable developmental template of the state.

The activist stated that they were most apprehensive on the prospects of slight rupture in the processes of the state governance, which he said, would invariably have viral effects on the country, sub-region and continent.

He said the state’s governance craftsmanship over the years had never been solely left to the whims and caprices of partisan considerations.

According to him, this is because since 1999, persons of different hues have had cause to serve in the state cabinet, majorly on merit and professional criteria.

Omotehinse, who said Lagos state was strategically positioned to play leading roles in the administration of President Bola Tinubu, said caution should not be thrown to the winds with intra-party adversarial rocking of the boat.

He said though history had severally validated the fact that when elephants fight, the grass became victims, however, it would be a huge loss if eggheads were sacrificed on the altar of inordinate politics.

The president said residents and the civil populace would inevitably bear the brunt if round pegs were in square holes in the commissioner designations of the state.