Lagos State House of Assembly during a sitting on Monday, suspended indefinitely the chairman of Alimosho Local Government Area (LGA), Jelili Sulaimon over alleged misconduct, among others.
Gatekeepers News reports that the chairman was suspended with immediate effect.
The assembly resolved that vice chairman of the council, Mr. Akinpelu Johnson should take over the running of its affairs.
It instructed the management of the council, including the manager and treasurer, to recognise the authority of the vice chairman and accord him all the support to make him work effectively.
The lawmakers suspended the chairman in a unanimous vote over an alleged non-compliance, defiance, and unyielding attitude to the legislative House.
Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sanni Okanlawon moved a motion for his suspension.
Okanlawon recalled that in April 2024, pandemonium broke out in Iyana-Ipaja axis of Alimosho Local Government leading to the death of a man named Mr. Micheal Ajayi.
The lawmaker, whose committee was saddled with the responsibility to investigate the cause of the pandemonium, said it was discovered that Jelili was behind the chaos.
Okanlawon noted that 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.
Okanlawon therefore called for Sulaimon’s immediate suspension in line with relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
He prayed to the house that, “He should be suspended immediately while the vice chairman, Akin Johnson, takes over with immediate effect.”
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 behave themselves.
He said, “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.”
In his contribution, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts for Local Government, Nureni Akinsanya referred to the report submitted by the State Auditor-General concerning the activities of Jelili.
He said report underscored the council chairman’s consistent non-compliance with financial regulations, with significant irregularities in his records.
Akinsanya also supported Okanlawon’s call for Jelili’s suspension.
Ladi Ajomale expressed surprise that the council chairman had been unruly despite previous reports detailing his alleged financial mismanagement.
Sa’ad Olumoh prayed the House to invite Mr. Kolade Alabi and Mr. Rasak Ajala, chairmen of Bariga Local Council Development Area (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 of the House, 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.
