Lagos State House of Assembly has suspended the Chairman, Alimosho Local Government, Mr Sulaimon Jelili, indefinitely over alleged non-compliance and unyielding attitude to the legislature.
At plenary yesterday, the House made the resolution through unanimous voice votes that the Vice Chairman, Mr Akinpelu Johnson, should take over running the affairs of the council.
The Assembly further instructed the management of the council, including the manager and treasurer, to recognise the authority of the vice chairman and accord him support to make him work effectively.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in April, pandemonium broke out in Iyana-Ipaja axis of Alimosho Local Government, leading to the death of Mr Michael Ajayi.
The Chairman, House Committee on Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Sanni Okanlawon, who investigated the cause of the pandemonium, moved the motion for the suspension.
He said stakeholders involved in the issue were invited, but Jelili allegedly continued to show acts of misconduct to the committee of the House.
Okanlawon alleged Jelili failed to adhere to the Assembly’s directives and his mismanagement of public funds.
The committee chairman, therefore, called for Jelili’s suspension in line with relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“He should be suspended immediately, while the vice chairman takes over with immediate effect,” he prayed.
The Majority Leader of the House, Mr 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 in the budget. There have been a lot of misconducts from him and I support that the chairman be suspended indefinitely,” he said.
Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts for Local Government, Mr Nureni Akinsanya, referred to the report submitted by the state Auditor-General concerning the activities of Jelili.
Akinsanya said the report allegedly underscored the council chairman’s consistent non-compliance with financial regulations, with significant irregularities in his records.
Mr Ladi Ajomale expressed surprise that the council chairman had been recalcitrant despite previous reports detailing his alleged financial mismanagement.
Mr Sa’ad Olumoh also prayed the House to invite Mr Kolade Alabi and Mr Rasak Ajala, chairmen of Bariga LCDA and Odi Olowo LCDA, as heads of the Conference 57, to explain the widespread disregard by council chairmen for governance protocols.
Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the sitting, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, to communicate the Assembly’s resolution to relevant authorities.