Sanwo-Olu Drops Five Names, Seeks Clearance For 18 Commissioner-Nominees
By Eunice Odebiyi
Five names were dropped in the new list of commissioner-nominees Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu sent to the House of Assembly.
They are Folashade Adefisayo, Solape Hammond, Aramide Adeyoye, Lekan Fatodu, and Rotimi Ogunwuyi.
Salient Times report that they were replaced by six new names – Afolabi Tajudeen, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, Tolani Sule-Akibu, Yekini Agbaje, Iyabode Ayoola and Sola Giwa.
Clerk of the House of Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, read the governor’s letter during plenary on Monday.
The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, thus directed the screening committee, led by the Chief Whip, Fatai Mojeed, to reconvene and start screening the nominees as from Tuesday. The committee is to report back to the House on Thursday.
The governor’s letter partly read, “After careful consideration of the 17 names that were rejected, I have decided to represent a list of nominees which includes a balanced selection of previously presented and new individuals.
“This list represents a broad political spectrum and diverse backgrounds reflective of the rich diversity of our lovely state. I am confident these new nominees would bring fresh ideas that would help the growth and progress of Lagos.”
Other names on the list are former commissioners Gbenga Omotoso, Akin Abayomi, Olalere Odusote, Cecila Dada, Sam Egube, as well as Folashade Ambrose-Medem, Yomi Olorunyomi, Rotimi Fashola, Mosopefolu George, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, Mrs. Barakat Bakare, and Olumide Oluyinka.
The Assembly had in August rejected 17 out of the of the 39 commissioner-nominees earlier sent by Sanwo-Olu for screening. The rejection created controversy with the Speaker saying that the Assembly cannot be intimidated.
Meanwhile, the House of Assembly has resolved to review the performance of the 2023 budget in preparation for the presentation of the 2024 budget estimate by Sanwo-Olu.
The House approved N1.768 trillion for the Year 2023.
Obasa urged the committee for the budget review, headed by Sa’ad Olumo, to ensure a proper review and make its report available to the House.
