The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday said its stand on the purported list of executive members said to have been sent by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to the Local Government Areas in the state, was not meant to denigrate his position.
The Assembly, in a statement signed by the Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, said that the attention of the Lagos State House of Assembly has been drawn to the mischief currently making the rounds, especially in the print and social media over the issue.
The lawmakers stated thus: “The sensational falsehood stems from the calculated, subjective and tainted misinterpretation and misrepresentation of a pedagogy issued by the House of Assembly dated 3rd November, 2017, with reference No LSHA/FAD/O/155/82 directed to the State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs ; Hon Muslim Folami.
“The said letter, titled ‘Appointment Of Supervisors To The Local Government Councils, Local Council Development Areas’ was solely predicated at guiding the newly positioned Chairmen of Councils on the need for appropriate procedure as well as intimating them with the relevant provisions of the operational administrative guidelines which require the approval of the legislative arms of the respective councils to validate appointments into the local government executive committees.
“This was deemed necessary to avoid unnecessary bickering and unpleasant corollaries that might be the consequences of an abridged process or procedure.
“It is needless to say that the Lagos State House of Assembly has unreserved esteem and regard for the office and person of the Governor, and the thoughtful guidance routinely issued was not in any way intended to denigrate, dissipate or disrupt the processes, but rather, to enrich, enhance and further establish democratic tenets and institutions by ensuring that the principles of checks and balances are replicated in the renascent Local Government system.”
The Assembly added that “in the circumstances therefore, the perverted interpretation accorded the harmless action of the House of Assembly is regrettable, unreasonable, misleading, unacceptable and is hereby condemned.
“The three arms of Government are clearly separated yet intricately and delicately fused. Consequently, they are inter- regulatory and inter – complimentary.
“These are basic ideologies of democracy which need not be subjected to ludicrous, delusive, derisive or divisive twists.”
