The list of commissioner-nominees submitted by Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to the state House of Assembly, has continued to generate controversies over alleged marginalisation and religious bigotry.
Daily Trust Saturday reports that Sanwo-Olu has come under severe criticisms in recent days over alleged marginalisation and lopsidedness of the list of commissioner-designates.
The list has been roundly criticized by religious and political leaders, including members of the State House of Assembly, who screened the 39 nominees.
Muslim groups in the state claimed that only eight Muslims made the list, while there are 31 Christians.
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The Lagos Muslim Community on Wednesday staged a protest at the State House of Assembly complex, demanding the rejection of the commissioners’ list while urging the state lawmakers to impress on the governor the need to respect the diversity of the state’s population and to appoint a more representative cabinet in order to promote peace and prosperity.
The protest was attended by heads of Islamic organisations, scholars, serving and former lawmakers as well as hundreds of Muslim faithful, who displayed various placards.
The President, Muslim Community of Lagos State, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, who read the petition, titled, “Petition on the Discrimination against Muslims in the Nomination of Commissioners,” said the group was staging the protest to express its grievance and dissatisfaction against the blatant disregard for justice, equity and fairness in the proposed Lagos State’ Executive cabinet as contained in the list of commissioners’ nominees submitted by Sanwo-Olu.
“As you are aware, the list is a classic case of discrimination and religious bigotry, as it has 31 nominees who are of the Christian faith and only eight (8) nominees who are Muslims. This is not a new development, especially since Governor Sanwo-Olu assumed leadership of this State, as a matter of fact, it has been elevated to a level of official state policy to deny Muslims their deserved positions under the Sanwo-Olu administration.
“For instance, in 2019, when Mr. Sanwo-Olu became governor, he appointed 14 Special Advisers, and only one (1) among them was a Muslim. Again, his State Executive Council, which had 43 members, only 14 were Muslims, and the remaining 29 were Christians.
“Also, of the 23 commissioners, 10 were Muslims and 13 of them Christians. Only 15 Muslims, with 35 Christians, made up the body of 50 Permanent Secretaries in his first term. These are just a few among numerous ways in which the Sanwo-Olu administration deny Muslims in this state their rightful place and number in leadership,” it noted.
The group maintained that the list from Sanwo-Olu violated the Constitution of the country as it fails to recognise the diversity of the people and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among the people.
“The argument that Muslims have more elected officials in Lagos State is preposterous. This is even more so at a time when all the six (6) governors of the southwest are Christians and we the Muslims do not complain about this, because we recognise that they contested for offices and won.
“Why must Muslims in Lagos State always beg and fight for their constitutional rights especially since Mr Sanwo-olu became governor? We recall with utmost sadness really, that until the Supreme Court ruled in favour of hijab for our school girls, successive Lagos governments never felt it should endeavour to align with the global best practice of accepting hijab in addition to abiding with the rule of law,” it added.
It called on the lawmakers to reject the list until the state governor sends another list reflecting 60 percent in favour of Muslims.
“We the Muslims of, and in, Lagos State wish to categorically state that the entire leadership of the Muslim Community of Lagos State representing various Muslim organizations, unequivocally and unanimously reject the list of commissioner-designates of Governor Sanwo-Olu and we demand a reversal and review to reflect 60 per cent in favour of Muslims in a fresh list,” the petition added.
Other prominent Muslim leaders at the event include the Convener Joint Muslim Forum (JMF), Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad; Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) Member Lukmon Olumo; Chief Whip/Chairman Commissioners-Nominee Screening Committee Mojeed Fatai Adebola; LAHA Member Jubreel AbdulKareem and MURIC Director Prof Lakin Akintola, among others.
Lawmakers, party chieftains kick
Daily Trust on Sunday recalled that lawmakers and party chieftains have also claimed that the list does not evenly represent the various districts in the state.
While Lagos Island Division has 20 nominees, Ikeja Division has 10; Epe and Badagry Division have four each while only one representative from Ikorodu division made the list. They claimed that a further scrutiny revealed that on Senatorial basis, Lagos Central has 20 while Lagos West has 12 and Lagos East seven.
Some party chieftains also claimed that the list favoured Eti-Osa LG which boasts of 12 nominees while Badagry has two; Lagos Mainland has three; Surulere 2; Lagos Island 2; Somolu 1; Ikorodu 1; Epe 2; Apapa 1; Amuwo-odofin 1; Ifako Ijaiye 1; Oshodi-Isolo 1; Ojo 1; Mushin 1; Ibeju-Lekki 2; Agege 1; Ikeja 2; Kosofe 1; Ajeromi Ifelodun 1 and Alimosho 1.
In one of such paid advertisements in selected newspapers, leaders of the party from Alimosho called for equity and inclusion, noting that the governor garnered the highest votes in the council but was rewarded with only a single nominee on the list.
“The recent unveiling of the list of 39 commissioner-nominees has raised perplexing concerns. It came as a surprise to find out that out of these appointments, twelve (12) slots were allocated to Eti-Osa LGA, which garnered a modest 23,000 votes during your gubernatorial elections, in contrast to Alimosho LGA, which granted you a substantial mandate of 83,629 votes, earning a mere single slot,” they noted while calling on the governor to learn from President Bola Tinubu, whom they noted “assigned ministerial positions to the six geopolitical zones in proportion to their contributions during his presidential elections, ensuring fairness and equity.”
Stakeholders from Mushin, Ikorodu, among others, have raised similar concerns while calling on the governor to address the perceived injustice.
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly also expressed their dissatisfaction over the commissioner nominees list, noting that the list did not reflect their expectations and those of their constituencies. To express their grievances, they had directed the Clerk of the House to write to the governor requesting the nominees’ local government areas.
CAN backs governor
However, the Christian Association of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, has defended the list, saying the choice of the governor was “based purely on merit, competence, and sufficient capabilities to deliver on the set goals and objectives of the government.”
The Chairman CAN, Lagos chapter, Rev. Stephen Adegbite, at a press conference at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, described as ‘distasteful’ and ‘condescending’ remarks of Muslim groups which rejected the list.
The CAN leader noted that Lagos had “enjoyed immense peace and prosperity over these years because the managers of its affairs amongst many other key elements have worked tirelessly to insulate the state from any form of religious intolerance or anything close to it.”
He added that, “It is imperative to remind the purveyors of these unfortunate divisive rhetoric and toxic narratives, that the success story of Lagos which today is regarded as a model of a place where people have lived like family and still live as such despite belonging to different faith, creed, beliefs and ethnic backgrounds is a function of respect and commitment to the principles of peaceful coexistence and not for lack of divergent opinion or perspectives on issues that concerns us all including political views and others related to it.”
Grievances would be addressed – Aide
Meanwhile the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Gboyega Akoshile, said the grievances expressed by various groups over the list would be addressed.
Akoshile in a telephone chat with Daily Trust on Sunday said it is normal to have divergent views over policies and actions of government, but however, maintained that the list had the input of the party leadership and other stakeholders in the state.
“I can’t tell if the list would be withdrawn or if more names would be added but it is being addressed. There are ways of addressing these things,” he said.
