The Lagos State House of Assembly has urged the suspended chairman of Alimosho local government area, Jelili Sulaimon, and his lawyer, Dr. Abdul Mahmud, to consider the law rather than emotions in their response to the chairman’s suspension.
The Assembly stressed that legislative practices in Lagos were guided by the Constitution and state laws.
In a statement signed by Hon. Stephen Ogundipe, chairman of the Assembly’s committee on information, strategy, and security, the House clarified that Sulaimon’s suspension was lawful and grounded in the Lagos state local government administration law, Vanguard reported.
Ogundipe noted that the law grants the Assembly authority to suspend or remove any local government official after a simple majority vote.
Ogundipe explained:
“Section 24(a) of the amended Local Government Administration Law clearly empowers the Lagos State House of Assembly to pass a resolution for the suspension of a chairman after an investigation. This is not a matter of emotions but a question of law.”
Addressing arguments made by Sulaimon’s lawyer, Ogundipe further emphasised that the Assembly had full legal authority over local government councils in Lagos state....Read Full Article [Click Here>]
He pointed out that local governments do not create themselves but were subject to the Constitution and laws passed by the state legislature, The Punch reported.
He added:
“Dr. Mahmud seems to forget that Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution gives the House of Assembly the power to investigate and regulate local government activities.
“It is not within the National Assembly’s purview to interfere in this matter.”
The House also criticised the Alimosho council’s recent decision to suspend Vice Chairman Akinpelu Johnson in retaliation for Sulaimon’s suspension.
Ogundipe labelled the move invalid, pointing out that the local government administration law does not provide for the suspension of vice chairmen without due process.
