Lagos Assembly Suspends Alimosho Council Boss Indefinitely

Segun James

The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday suspended the Chairman of the Alimosho Local Government Area, Jelili Sulaimon with immediate effect. However, no reason was given for the suspension.

Although it could not be ascertained if the state Assembly has the power to suspend the chairman without Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s direct order.

Sitting at plenary, the lawmakers resolved that the Vice Chairman of the council, Mr. Akinpelu Johnson, should take over the running of the affairs of the council.

It further 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 chairman was suspended in a unanimous vote by the lawmakers over an alleged non-compliance, defiance and unyielding attitude to the Legislative House.

Moving a motion for his suspension, the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Local Government Administration  and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, recalled that in April 2024, pandemonium broke out in the Iyana-Ipaja axis of Alimosho LGA leading to the death of one Mr. Michael Ajayi.

Okanlawon, whose committee was saddled with the responsibility of investigating the cause of the pandemonium, said that it was discovered that Jelili masterminded the chaos.

According to Okanlawon, all stakeholders involved in the issue were invited, but Jelili had continued to show acts of misconduct to the committee of the Assembly.

He highlighted the council chairman’s failure to adhere to the Assembly’s directives and his mismanagement of public funds. He, therefore, called for Jelili’s immediate suspension in line with relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“He should be suspended immediately while the vice chairman, Johnson, takes over with immediate effect,” he prayed.

Majority Leader of the Assembly, Noheem Adams, while supporting the call for Jelili’s suspension, added that the action would make other local government chairmen sit well.

 “The Alimosho council chairman does not follow procurement processes or the budget. There has been a lot of misconducts from him and I support that the chairman be suspended indefinitely,” he said.

In his contribution, Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, chairman of the Assembly Committee on Public Accounts for Local Government, referred to the report submitted by the state Auditor-General concerning the activities of Jelili. The report underscored the council chairman’s consistent non-compliance with financial regulations, with significant irregularities in his records.

Akinsanya, emphasising these discrepancies, supported Okanlawon’s call for Jelili’s suspension.

Similarly, Hon. Ladi Ajomale expressed surprise that the council chairman had been recalcitrant despite previous reports detailing his alleged financial mismanagement.

Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, while echoing his concerns, also prayed the Assembly to invite Mr. Kolade Alabi and Mr. Rasak Ajala, chairmen of Bariga 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, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the sitting, directed the Clerk of the Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, to communicate the Assembly’s resolution to all relevant authorities.