At the very last minute of the 60-day constitutionally stipulated timeframe to nominate cabinet members, several state governors only managed to submit their list to state assemblies yesterday.
While no sanctions are spelled out in the constitution for not submitting a list of cabinet nominees, lawyers have raised concerns about the last minute approach and the possibility of the president or state governors defaulting.
States that submitted their lists of commissioners yesterday include Lagos, Yobe, Gombe, Zamfara and Nasarawa.
At the federal level, President Tinubu is yet to nominate minister for 11 states including Lagos, Kano, Gombe, Adamawa, Kogi and Bayelsa.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Wahab Shittu said that a violation of constitutional provisions is a gross violation of the rule of law, which is the foundation of Democratic Governance.
He also stated that the constitution is the grun norm and any infraction of its provision renders the action null and void and of no effect. See section 315 of the 1999 Constitution.
Shittu said, “I believe when a law is made, it is for the benefit of the society and in a case that someone feels it is not so, the only option open to such a person is to challenge it in court and until the law is set aside everyone is bound to obey it.
“Although the section of the law did not stipulate any sanction for the violation of the law, it can constitute a ground for impeachment if the state Houses of Assembly choose to go that way,” he said
Another senior lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) stated that he believes that the president and governors must obey the law for orderliness in the country but that the legislation is mere directory with no consequence for its disobedience.
He pointed out that there is a wall of difference between regulations that are merely directories. This suggests that a particular action should be taken within a stipulated period without penalty or consequence for noncompliance.
“So, If a provision of the law or a clause of any law is merely directory, that means failure to do it by that time, you have breached, but there are no consequences, and that does not mean that they can no longer send the list or that any list they send after that will be rendered null and void.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday sent the list of his proposed cabinet members to the Lagos State House of Assembly for ratification.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile had in a tweet revealed that 30 per cent of the commissioner-nominees are women, while others are youths, technocrats and politicians.
On the list obtained by LEADERSHIP Weekend, some members of the governor’s cabinet during his first term in office made the list, while a number of others were dropped.
In the list submitted former cabinet members who made the list include the former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; his Budget and Economic Planning counterpart, Sam Egube; ex-Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; ex Education commissioner, Folasade Adefisayo, ex commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Bolaji Cecilia Dada; ex commissioner for Housing Moruf Fatai; ex-Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure Aramide Adeyooye; and his Education counterpart, Tokunbo Wahab, among others.
Among former cabinet members dropped by Governor Sanwo-Olu are former Commissioner of Finance, Rabiu Olowo; former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN; and ex- Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Yetunde Arobieke.
Others on the list of the cabinet member-nominees sent to the Lagos State House of Assembly by Governor Sanwo-Olu on Friday: Afolabi Ayantayo, Jamiu Alli-Balogun; Rotimi Ogunwuyi; Gbenga Oyeriinde; Lawal Pedro (SAN); Mobolaji Ogunlende; Ibrahim ;Layode; Dolapo Fasawe; Toke Benson-Awoyinka Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Abdulkabir Ogungbo; Abiola Olowu; Adekunle Olayinka, Idris Aregbe, Yakubu Alebiosu; Bola Olumegbon; Oreoluwa Finnih-Awokoya; Kayode Roberts, Seun Osiyemi; Barakat Bakare, ex Energy commissioner, Olalere Odusote; Rotimi Fashola; Mr Mosopefolu George; Tunbosun Alake; Ms Ruth Olusanya who was the commissioner for Agric in the last administration; Folashade Adefisayo; Folashade Ambrose; Olumide Oluyinka; Yomi Oluyomi; Jide Babatunde; Olalekan Fatodu; Solape Hammond.
In Gombe, Governor Inuwa Yahaya on Friday submitted the list of 17 commissioners he nominated to serve in his cabinet to the State House Of Assembly.
The secretary to the state government Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi submitted the list of the nominees to the parliament for screening.
Our correspondent reports that Gombe, Akko, Funakaye, Dukku, Yamaltu-Deba, Kwami got two slots each while the remaining five local governments of Kaltungo, Shongom, Balanga, Billiri and Nafada have one nominee each.
The 17 nominees are; Abdulkadir Mohammed Waziri, Adamu Inuwa Pantami, Zubairu Mohammed Umar, Abdullahi Bappah Garkuwa, Aishatu Umar Maigari, Barnabas Malle, Habu Dahiru, Usman Maijama’a Kallamu, Asmau Iganus and Abdullahi Bello.
Others are; Mijinyawa Ardo Tilde, Mohammed Shettima Gadam, Mohammed Gambo Magaji, Mohammed Sa’idu Fawu, Nasiru Mohammed Aliyu, Salihu Baba Alkali and Sanusi Ahmed Madala.
In Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni finally forwarded the names of commissioner nominees to the State House of Assembly.
LEADERSHIP Weekend checks revealed that the list was sent to the House on Thursday evening through the Speaker of the House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Buba Chiroma Mashio.
A source at the House of Assembly, who did not want his name mentioned, informed that the list was forwarded to the Speaker in the evening.
LEADERSHIP gathered that, the list has not been made public, at the House informed that about ten former commissioners from the first tenure of governor Mai Mala Bini government made the list.
Lawal Submits List Of Cabinet Nominees
Zamfara state Governor, Dauda Lawal, also on Friday submitted the list of nominees for commissioners to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
A statement issued by the Assembly PRO, Nasir Biyabiki said Secretary to the State Government, Malan Abubakar Muhammad Nakwada who submitted the letter containing the names of the nominees called on the lawmakers to consider the list of the nominees for screening for their onward appointment as commissioners that will serve in the present administration.
The SSG however, thanked the members of assembly for their support to the executive arm and called on them to maintain the tempo.
“His Excellency Governor Dauda Lawal appreciates your support and pledged to work with you and give you all the necessary support for you to legitimately exercise your fundamental functions”, Nakwada added.
Responding, Speaker, Hon. Bilyaminu Ismaíl Moriki said the House would not relent in supporting the executive arm of the government to move state forward.
He said the House will soon commence the screening of the nominees in accordance with the guiding principles,
According to him the House has already approved a request from the state governor for the appointment of 20 special advisers, hence the need to speed the screening of those to serve as commissioners
Some of the principal officers, members and Clerk of the House were present when the speaker received the list.
The list of the commissioners will be unveiled in the next week.
In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule submitted names of 3 females and 14 men to the state House of Assembly for confirmation as members of the State Executive Council.
Speaker of the state House of Assembly,. Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi announced this during an emergency sitting of the House in Lafia on Friday.
The commissioner nominees are Aishatu Rufai Ibrahim -Awe LGA, Umar Abubakar Dan’akano-Awe LGA, Mr Yakubu Kwanta -Akwanga LGA, Munirat Abdullahi-Doma LGA, Timothy Kasuwa- Karu LGA, Margaret Elayo-Keana LGA, Bala Mulki Keffi LGA, John Mamman Kokona LGA, .
Others are Barr. Abubakar Imam ZANWA, Lafia LGA, Hon Aliyu Ahmed Tijjani, Nasarawa LGA, Haruna Musa, Nassarawa Eggon LGA, Muhammed Eyimoga, Obi LGA, Barr. Labaran MAGAJI, Toto, LGA, Dr Gaza Gwamna, Toto LGA, Mu’azu Gosho, Wamba LGA, Samuel Kafu Emgba Lafia LGA and Ja’afaru Ango, Karu LGA,
According to the Speaker who said the appointments of the commissioner nominees were based on merit, integrity, prudence and wealth of experiences, directed the nominees to submit 30 copies of their Curriculum Vitae (CV) on or before Monday, July 31st, 2023 and to appear for screening on Tuesday August 1st, 2023.
In a related developemt, the State House of Assembly has approved the request for the appointment of 20 Special Advisers by Gov. Abdullahi Sule.
The Speaker of the House, Rt.Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi announced the approval during the emergency sitting of the House in Lafia.
The Speaker said that the speedy approval was to enable the Governor appoint the 20 Special Advisers that would help him in achieving his administration policies.
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