Why Lagos Assembly Rejected Sanwo-Olu’s Nominees

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday rejected 3 out of the 38 nominees sent to them for confirmation as Commissioners and Special Advisers by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.

Naija News reports that the rejected nominees are Ms Adekemi Ajayi-Bembe, Mr Obafemi George and Prince Olanrewaju Sanusi.

However, reports have emerged that the nominees were rejected due to pressures from their constituency.

A source told The Nation that the Assembly could not resist the pressure to deny them clearance, owing to the weight of allegations against them.

The source said the politics of confirmation overwhelmed the Assembly, adding that “the matter was beyond the control of the lawmakers.”

“It is now evident that nominations and screening were not final. Post-screening hurdles may arise from familiar and strange quarters,” he stressed.

“I suspected that the outcry against them arose from their people; from their constituencies where leaders and critical stakeholders who cannot be ignored were kicking.

“I don’t think it was due to poor performance at the screening, although we heard that a particular nominee did not measure up during the exercise and the House Committee that screened them noted the non-display of competence.

“They were not confirmed because of politics of preference and rejection.

“The influence of powerful people who didn’t want them dwarfed those of their supporters in their respective constituencies.

“They did not play their cards well at home. It can happen because it is politics,” the source added.