By Bilesanmi Abayomi
In a response to the directives issued by the Lagos State House of Assembly, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State has finally unveiled the identities and local government areas of the nominees for the contentious Commissioner positions. The decision comes after heightened concerns over the distribution of nominees within the state.
In a letter dated August 7, addressed to the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. M. O. Onafeko, the Governor’s office presented the revised list of nominees and their respective local government areas. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Kosofe Post on Wednesday, signals a significant shift in the ongoing controversy.
Remarkably, the new list revealed that an overwhelming 12 out of the total 39 commissioner designates hail from the Eti-Osa Local Government alone. The remaining local government areas could only manage to secure one nominee each, leaving a disparity that has drawn considerable attention.
The decision to disclose the nominees’ local government areas was initially prompted by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa. The Speaker emphasized the importance of transparency and public awareness by mandating that the nominees’ local government affiliations be included in the list for the benefit of the state and its citizens.
Subsequently, the Clerk of the House, Mr. M. O. Onafeko, was tasked with formally requesting the local government area details from the Governor’s office. To oversee the evaluation and selection process, the House established a screening committee, led by Chief Whip Fatai Mojeed, which was responsible for vetting the nominees and reporting back to the Assembly.
As per the findings by Kosofe Post, the revelation of the nominees’ local government areas has had a notable impact on the planned screening exercise. This development has necessitated adjustments, causing the screening process, originally expected come up earlier, to be postponed till August 15th.
