By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The Ogun State House of Assembly on Wednesday screened six out of the eight commissioner nominees of Governor Dapo Abiodun, just as the Cross River House of Assembly rejected one commissioner nominee sent by the Governor over petitions against her.
On Tuesday, the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, had disclosed that the list sent by Abiodun on July 27 contained only eight names.
The eight names were those who served as commissioners in Abiodun’s first term and are presently Special Advisers at the ministries they vacated on May 28.
On Wednesday, six of the nominees appeared at the Ogun State House of Assembly complex at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, for screening.
They are Adebowale Akinsanya, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, Olaolu Olabimtan, Jagunmolu Omoniyi and Oluwasina Ogungbade.
In his admonition, the Speaker challenged the nominees to live up to the expectations of the office, emphasising that it was important to ensure the holistic achievement of an affordable education system and improved access to justice.
Oluomo also called for additional operational equipment to dredge rivers and canals across the state in order to address the perennial flooding in some communities.
He urged the Attorney General-designate, Akingbade, to set up legal measures towards the immediate implementation of the state anti-land grabbing law to curb the excesses of land grabbers in Ogun.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has expressed concern that Abiodun sent just eight names to the Assembly when he should have sent about 20.
A statement by PDP spokesman, Akinloye Bankole, wondered if the Ogun All Progressives Congress (APC) is in dearth of capable hands to fill the remaining 12 ministries, reminding the governor that the law mandates him to send the full list of his commissioner-nominees within 60 days of inauguration.
In a related development, the Cross River State House of Assembly has rejected commissioner-nominee, Mrs Gladys Eutamdala as commissioner.
She is from Yakurr LGA in the state.
The chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Assembly, Davis Etta, said they received several petitions against Eutemdala’s nomination.
He clarified that most of the petitions were from her own Yakurr indigenes, who raised some critical issues of great public concern against her.
As a result, the Speaker, Elvert Ayambem, in line with the petitions raised against her, turned down her nomination.
The Speaker explained “The 10th Assembly is that of the people, and it must respect and first protect the interests of the people.”
Recall that the assembly had screened 25 others.
