Jelili Sulaimon, the embattled Chairman of Alimosho Local Government Council, Lagos, has said that his purported suspension by the State House of Assembly is illegal and unconstitutional.
In a statement by his lawyer on Tuesday, Abdul Mahmud said the suspension constituted a blatant affront to the recent decision of the Supreme Court which affirmed the autonomy and independence of local government under the 1999 Constitution.
In the statement made available by the lawyer in Abuja, he condemned the decision of the House and the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, to suspend the chairman and direct his deputy to take over the council affairs.
The lawyer said that the coercive actions of the Speaker and the encroachment of the Assembly on the constitutional power of the local government would be resisted within the ambit of law.
He said, “The autonomy of local government councils is a fundamental pillar of Nigeria’s federal system, and any attempt to undermine that autonomy is a violation of constitutional provisions. The recent decision of the Supreme Court in Attorney General of the Federation vs. Attorney General of Abia State & 35 Ors (SC/CV/343/2024) expressly recognises that local governments are vested with powers to manage their own affairs independently, without undue interference from states’ Houses of Assembly.
“By allegedly suspending Hon. Jelili Sulaimon, the Speaker and the Lagos State House of Assembly have acted in clear defiance of the constitutional principles enunciated by the apex court, thereby exceeding their constitutional mandates.’’
The lawyer said that there was a pending suit, filed by his client before the Federal High Court challenging the powers of the Speaker and the Lagos State House of Assembly to exercise oversight functions over the affairs of Alimosho Local Government.
He stressed that the Assembly cannot exercise such oversight functions when the Council has its own legislative assembly charged with such functions.
The lawyer said that the defendants in the suit were duly served with the court processes.
He further said, “In fact, the action of the Speaker and the Assembly, while this case is subsisting, constitutes an unlawful interference in a matter that has yet to be determined by the court.
“The Speaker and his cohorts in the Lagos State House of Assembly, in their attempt to ambush and foist helplessness on the Federal High Court, have merely displayed jejune rascality. If the government treats court order with levity and contempt, the confidence of the citizens in the courts will be seriously eroded and the effect of that will be the beginning of anarchy in replacement of the rule of law.’’
The lawyer stressed that his client cannot be cowed by the legislative tyranny of the House or deterred by the Speaker.
He, therefore, called on the Speaker and the House to immediately reverse the decision.
The counsel reiterated that the suspension of an elected official without due process was a threat to democratic governance and should not be tolerated in any form or given any recognition.
The Lagos state House of Assembly on Monday suspended the council chairman, indefinitely
The decision, which was reportedly reached during Monday’s plenary session, came after lawmakers voted unanimously to remove Sulaimon over allegations of misconduct and defiance of the legislative House.
The Vice Chairman of the Council, Akinpelu Johnson, was directed to assume control of the council’s affairs
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
