THE Lagos State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has indefinitely suspended the chairman of the Alimosho Local Government Area, Hon. Jelili Sulaimon. The suspension, which is with immediate effect, is coming barely nine months to the end of his tenure in the State.
Sitting at plenary on Monday, October 7, 2024, the lawmakers resolved that the Vice-Chairman of the council, Mr Akinpelu Johnson, should take over the running of its affairs while instructing the management of the council, including the Manager and Treasurer, to recognise the authority of Vice-Chairman and accord him all the support to make him work effectively.
The Chairman was suspended in a unanimous vote by the lawmakers over an alleged non-compliance, defiance and unyielding attitude to the legislative House.
Moving a motion for his suspension, the Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, recalled that in April 2024, pandemonium broke out in the Iyana-Ipaja axis of Alimosho Local Government leading to the death of one Mr Micheal Ajayi.
Hon. Okanlawon, whose committee was saddled with the responsibility of investigating the cause of the pandemonium, said that it was discovered that Jelili masterminded the chaos. According to Okanlawon, all stakeholders involved in the issue were invited, but Jelili continued to show acts of misconduct to the committee of the House.
He highlighted the council Chairman’s failure to adhere to the Assembly’s directives and his mismanagement of public funds. He, therefore, called for Jelili’s immediate suspension in line with relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“He should be suspended immediately while the Vice-Chairman, Akin Johnson, takes over with immediate effect,” he prayed.
Majority Leader of the House, Noheem Adams, while supporting the call for Jelili’s suspension, added that the action would make other Local Government Chairmen sit well.
“The Alimosho council Chairman does not follow procurement processes or the budget. There has been a lot of misconduct from him and I support that the Chairman be suspended indefinitely,” he said.
In his contribution Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts for Local Government, referred to the report submitted by the State Auditor-General concerning the activities of Jelili. The report underscored the council Chairman’s consistent non-compliance with financial regulations, with significant irregularities in his records. Akinsanya, emphasising these discrepancies, supported Okanlawon’s call for Jelili’s suspension.
Similarly, Hon. Ladi Ajomale expressed surprise that the council Chairman had been recalcitrant despite previous reports detailing his alleged financial mismanagement.
Meanwhile, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, while echoing his concerns, also prayed the House to invite Mr Kolade Alabi and Mr Rasak Ajala, Chairmen of Bariga LCDA and Odi Olowo LCDA respectively, as Heads of the Conference 57, to explain the widespread disregard by council Chairmen for governance protocols.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the sitting, directed the Clerk of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, to communicate the Assembly’s resolution to all relevant authorities.
