Residents storm Lagos assembly in support of commissioner -nominee

A cross section of Lagos residents on Wednesday stormed the State House of Assembly demanding the confirmation of Dr Femi Onanuga, one of the comissioner-nominees by the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

Ambode had forwarded a list of 37 would-be cabinet members to the House, including Onanuga, for confirmation.

The House through its 15-man ad-hoc committee headed by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Wasiu Sanni-Eshinlokun is currently screening the governor’s nominees before clearance.

A concerned resident of the state, Oladele Benson, who is a member of Ikoyi Club 1938, had petitioned the House, accusing Onanuga of alleged misappropriation of funds, which he said led to alleged expulsion of Onanuga from the club, following recommendation of a disciplinary panel.

As a follow up to the petition, a group identified as Lagos Good Governance Coalition (LAGCO) also petitioned the House, asking that Onanuga should not be confirmed for reason of his alleged indictment by the Ikoyi Club 1938.

The residents, who stormed the Lagos Assembly complex on Wednesday, urged the lawmakers in the state to ignore the opposition against Onanuga’s confirmation, insisting that the allegations against Onanuga were unfounded and baseless.

According to them, the writer of the petition against Onanuga (Benson), was only doing so for selfish reasons, and that the House should go ahead to confirm the governor’s nominee as a cabinet member.

Responding to the concerns of the residents, a member of the ad-hoc committee of the House and member representing Epe Constituency II, Segun Olulade, said the House would act on the request of the residents, assuring them that Onanuga would be given fair hearing on the allegations against him.

Speaking earlier, the chairman of 15-man adhoc committee, Eshinlokun had disclosed that the House, as a responsive and responsible institution, would not automatically disqualify the governor’s nominees based on petitions against any of them.

He equally assured that nominees would be allowed to respond to petitions against them, adding that, “Any petition against any of the nominees will not amount to automatic disqualification; we will confront them with such petitions and allow them to respond.”

“What I’m principally saying is that we will give the nominees fair hearing and then the House will come up with an appropriate decision,” Eshinlokun stated.
Nigerian Tribune