…says lawmakers not threatened by planned protests by CSOs
Mudashiru Obasa, the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, says the assembly reserves the right to expose screening reports of the committee on the 17 rejected commissioner-nominees.
Obasa disclosed this at plenary on Monday, warning those planning protests and sponsoring media articles to desist, saying the house would not be threatened over the issue.
Recall that the assembly last week rejected 17 commissioner nominees, including former commissioners for health, as well as information and strategy, Akin Abayomi Gbenga Omotosho, respectively.
The lawmakers did not give reasons for the rejection. They, 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.
Read also: Rejected nominees: We have no fight with Sanwo-Olu – Obasa
Obasa, who presided over it, said the exercise followed a rigorous and detailed screening of the nominees by an ad-hoc committee led by Fatai Mojeed, the chief whip.
Reacting on Monday, Obasa said it was unfortunate that whenever the house refused to be a ‘rubber stamp’ to a governor’s request, then it would be interpreted by the public that the lawmakers were fighting the governor.
“If anybody wishes to know the reasons for the decision, they should approach the house. However, we will not be forced to spill our observations, and we reserve the right to expose the report of the screening.
“We are not going to be threatened by the civil society organisations who wish to protest. It is their right. He who lives in a glasshouse do not throw stones,” he said.
The speaker said the assembly would continue to work together with the executive because there was no reason to fight.
He, however, noted that the assembly had the constitutional right to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the nominees of the governor.
