Lagos Assembly summons Attorney General, others over executive order

• writes Sanwo-Olu on Otto-Awori LCDA leadership’s nomenclature

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday has invited the State Attorney-General, Solicitor- General, Commissioner and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Ministry of Justice and Director of Litigation to appear before the House for clarifications over an Executive Order after Governor’s assent on an existing Law.

This summon emanated following a letter forwarded to the House by Solicitor- General and read by the Clerk of the House during plenary.

The letter titled “Lagos State Government: Commencement Order, Local Government Administration Law 2025″ refers to the recent conduct of the APC Local Government Primary election in the State.

The letter stipulates that the Local Government Administration Law should not come into effect until August 4th, 2025.

Describing the Executive Order as delicate and sensitive, Chairman of the Committee on Local Government Administration Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Hon. Sanni Ganiyu Babatunde, expressed that the Local Government Administration Bill 2025 has already been assented to by the Governor.
The Law is put together by lawmakers and any attempts to vary it will undermine the legislative duties. “The sanctity of the Law should be respected.

In dismay, Hon. Oladipo Ajomale, Chairman, Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC expressed his surprise at the Order, noting that the Law in question has already been made public since the day of assent by the Governor in May, question the sudden turn around after which it has already been signed.

Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh reiterated that no Executive Order can override a valid Law that has already been assented to by the Governor.

In his submission, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa said that it is an opportunity to test the spirit of the Law particularly this very Law. “It allows us to test how strong and viable the Law is”.

He further noted that if a Law is challenged, it is an opportunity to look into the process of making it if truly the lawmakers have done the right thing on the Law.

He emphasized that the process of making law ends with the assent of the Governor on the law, otherwise where the Governor refuses to grant assent, such law can be brought back to the Assembly.

In a related development, the House also received a letter from Otto-Awori Local Government titled “Swearing in of Hon. Abdulkareem Azeez Abioun as the substantive Executive Chairman of Otto-Awori Local Council Development Area”.

The letter stipulates that following the demise of former Chairman, Prince Musibau Ashafa, and the provision of the Law states that the Vice Chairman shall assume the Office of the Chairman upon the death of the Chairman, resignation or removal from Office, to ensure continuity and stability in governance.

However, in light of the provision, the Vice Chairman shall be addressed as the acting Chairman which has raised questions on the respect and obedience to the rule of law at the Local Government level.

The Local Government has therefore requested the Assembly to investigate and ensure that Mr. Azeez Abioun is sworn-in as the Chairman, Otto Awori LCDA in order to forestall any act of law breaking and order in the State.
Speaker Obasa, thereafter directed the Clerk, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko to write a letter to the Governor notifying him of the development.

Subsequently, the House invited Mr. Abdulkareem Azeez Abioun, Council Manager, Legal officers to appear before the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

In an unrelated development, the Lagos State Geographic Information Service Bill 2023 was read for the third time and Mr. Speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko to forward a clean copy to Mr. Governor for his assent.