The Lagos State government has denied the charge levelled by Lagos lawyer Ebun -Olu Adeguruwa (SAN) that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was running the state as a one-man show, spending public funds while the state executive council was not duly constituted.
In response to the accusation, Mr Gboyega Akosile, the governor’s chief press secretary, stated that, contrary to the lawyer’s claims, his principal is not running a one-man show because the wheel of governance is turning in the state.
He said;
Our attention has been drawn to an unsolicited counsel from Mr. Ebun Adegboruwa, alleging that Sanwo-Olu is running a one-man show, simply because he has not constituted his cabinet yet since he resumed office for the second term.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Constitution is very clear about the number of days required for a state governor to send his nominees for various cabinet offices to the House of Assembly for legislative approval.
According to the fifth alteration (No. 23), the bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to require the president and governors to submit the names of persons nominated as ministers or commissioners within 60 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the senate or House of Assembly; and for related matters.
Akosile said Governor Sanwo-Olu has only spent 39 days in office and, therefore, has not flouted any law.
We also need to remind the erudite lawyer that Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke was sworn into office in November, 2022, making it more than seven months before he sent his cabinet nominees to the House of Assembly.
We must also enlighten Mr. Adegboruwa, that with or without the cabinet members at the moment, the wheel of governance is moving progressively in Lagos. The permanent secretaries are fully in charge as the chief accounting officers of their individual ministries.