Lagos State House of Assembly queries illegal nominee appointments

The simmering tension between the legislative and executive arms of the Lagos State government boiled over, yesterday, as the Head of Service (HoS), Bode Agoro, faced a sharp and aggressive interrogation by the state’s House of Assembly over the repeated issuance of appointment letters to the governor’s nominees without legislative approval.

The lawmakers, who accused the HoS office of a continuous pattern of contravening extant laws and the House’s directives by allowing unconfirmed nominees to assume roles and, allegedly, gain access to public funds, queried Agoro on the practical implications of his office’s actions, saying:

“How do they get funds, and who pays the salaries of the nominees when you said you were not aware, and that you only gave appointment letters?

The HoS clarified that salary payments are handled at the ministry level, with oversight provided by the accounting officer and the head of each Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDAs).

He, therefore, apologised to the House, but the apology was swiftly dismissed by the Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who pointed out that the alleged contravention was not an isolated incident.

However, when pressed by a lawmaker, Richard Kasumu, on who takes responsibility for the omission, the HoS reiterated that the letters were not issued deliberately and insisted his office has a history of sending necessary confirmation requests to the House.

Obasa concluded the session with a scathing criticism of the Service’s performance, labelling the entire matter a failure of the HoS to fulfil his job. He told Agoro that he had not done well, especially since the non-deliberate contravention had now occurred three separate times.

MEANWHILE, the State has recorded the death of another female elected council official, Adebimpe Akinola. Akinola, who was Council Manager, Coker Aguda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Chairperson of the Forum of Council Managers, passed away on Monday after a brief illness.

Her death marks the fifth female council official to die in Lagos in just two months. Akinola was laid to rest on September 30, 2026, according to Islamic rites, with Janazah Prayer scheduled at Al Kitab Mosque, followed by burial at Igbe Lara Cemetery.

It would be recalled that a total of 114 women councillorship and 10 chairmanship candidates secured the tickets to run under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 12, 2025, local council elections in Lagos State.

Tragedy started on August 13, 2025, when the councillor representing Ward C1 in Ibeju-Lekki Local Council, Oluwakemi Rufai, died after a brief illness.

Five days later, the councillor for Ward C3 Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Zainab Shotayo, died on August 18, 2025. However, as the APC and Lagos State residents were still mourning the loss, 38 days later, on September 20, 2025, Vice Chairman, Badagry West LCDA, Oluremi Ajose, died.

Less than 24 hours later, on September 21, 2025, Councillor for Ward F in Somolu Local Council, Basirat Kemi Mayabikan, died.