Facts are beginning to emerge on why Gbenga Omotosho, a former Editor of The Nation Newspaper, and 16 other cabinet nominees failed the screening exercise at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
ENigeria Newspaper reports that on Wednesday, the Lagos State House of Assembly proceeded to confirm 22 out of the 39 proposed cabinet nominees on the list sent by Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu.
The Seventeen nominees were reportedly rejected during the confirmation which was done through a voice vote as Obasa mentioned the name of each of them including Gbenga Omotosho, a former Editor of The Nation Newspaper who served as the immediate Commissioner in charge of the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy.
For many, Gbenga Omotosho’s case was an isolated one that breeds concern, given that he served in the first tenure of Governor of Sanwo-Olu’s administration to the admiration of many keen watchers.
“Omotosho’s is particularly worrisome given that he did a good job for the governor during his first tenure. It is, however, confusing that he was not confirmed this time”, a source who spoke to ENigeria Newspaper said.
“Another isolated case which concerns me, is that of Professor Akin Abayomi, the immediate past Commissioner for Health in Lagos. An astute professional who laid his life for Lagosians during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whatever may have led to this is a serious issue”, the source concluded.
Meanwhile speaking on the possible reason for failing the screening exercise, Aro Abiodun a lawmaker representing the Ikorodu Constituency II told The Punch that he could not speak for the House but only for his constituency.
Similarly, the chairman of the screening committee and Chief Whip of the House, Mojeed, simply said in a text message, “It was a decision of (all) 40 members (of the House).”
But in his analysis of the situation, a former member of the House who pleaded anonymity said such rejection could be for several reasons.
“A nominee may be rejected for several reasons. It may be for not having the (APC) party membership card or for presenting a controversial qualification. Other reasons could be security-related or criminal records, unexplained dismissal from office, among others.”
Asked if there would still be an opportunity for the rejected nominees to be cleared later, the ex-lawmaker said, “No. They won’t be cleared. The governor will have to send other names.”
Consequently, Gboyega Akosile, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in a telephone conversation said, the outcome of the screening and confirmation had yet to be transmitted to the governor, hence the governor had yet to know the reason for the reported rejection of some nominees.
“Mr. Governor has not received it officially, but we are just hearing from the media. So, we will wait for when the Speaker transmits it to the governor, then we will know the appropriate reaction from the governor,” Akosile said.
The rejected nominees are: Folashade Adefisayo, Akin Abayomi, Yomi Oluyomi, Folashade Ambrose, Barakat Bakare, Gbenga Omotosho, Olalere Odusote, Rotimi Fashola, Bolaji Dada, Sam Egube, Olalekan Fatodu, Solape Hammond, Mosopefolu George, Aramide Adeyoye, Seun Osiyemi, Rotimi Ogunwuyi, and Olumide Oluyinka.
