Why Alimosho LG chairman suspended

Jelili Sulaimon

•Suspended for non-compliance, defiance and unyielding attitude to legislative House

•His suspension unconstitutional — Solicitor

THE Lagos State House of Assembly, has suspended the chairman of the Alimosho Local Government Area, Jelili Sulaimon over alleged misconduct among others.

The suspension was, however, with immediate effect.

The  Assembly ordered the vice chairman of the council, Johnson Akinpelu, to take over the running of the council’s affairs.

The House further instructed the management of the council, including the council manager and coouncil treasurer, to  recognise the authority of the vice chairman and accord him all the necessary support to make him work effectively.

Suleiman was unanimously suspended for alleged non-compliance, defiance and unyielding attitude to the legislative House.

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

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

“He should be suspended immediately while the vice chairman, Akin Johnson, takes over with immediate effect,” the lawmaker said.

Also speaking, Majority Leader of the House, Noheem Adams, while supporting the call for Jelili’s suspension, said: “The chairman of Alimosho council area does not follow procurement processes or the budget. There have been a lot of misconducts from him and I support that the chairman be suspended indefinitely.”

The Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the sitting, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, to communicate the Assembly’s resolution to all relevant authorities.

His suspension unconstitutional —Solicitor

Meanwhile, Dr Abdul Mahmud, solicitor to suspended Alimosho council chairman, has condemned it, describing it as an “illegal and unconstitutional” action of the Lagos State House of Assembly. 

Mahmud, in a statement on behalf of the Levite Solicitors and Arbitrators, said: “We, Attorneys to Mr Sulaimon, Chairman unequivocally condemn the decision of Mr Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Lagos State House of Assembly, to suspend the Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, Mr Sulaimon, and direct the Vice Chairman to take over his functions immediately.

“The decision is not only illegal and unconstitutional, but it also constitutes a blatant affront to the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which affirmed the autonomy and independence of local governments."

 under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (with fifth alterations).

“The decision of the Supreme Court expressly recognises that local governments are vested with powers to manage their own affairs independently, without undue interference from States’ Houses of Assembly.

“By suspending Mr Sulaimon, the Speaker and the Lagos State House of Assembly have acted in clear defiance of this legal principle, thereby exceeding their constitutional mandates.

“We, therefore, call on the Speaker and the Lagos State House of Assembly to immediately reverse its decision, and we urge all relevant authorities to respect the rule of law and the constitutionally guaranteed independence of local government councils. The suspension of an elected official without due process is a threat to democratic governance and should not be tolerated in any form.

“We remain committed to defending the rights of our clients, Jelili Sulaimon and Alimosho Local Government Area Council, in the face of unconstitutional actions.”