Cabinet List: Prominent Support Group Director Genral accuse Sanwo-Olu of not been political in his appointment by engaging support groups that worked hard to ensure his re-election for second term.
According to the Baat Ideology Support Group Director General, Hon. Mohammed Toheeb Owolobi, the governor’s act was more intentional “an affront to the collective sensibilities of the Support Groups.”
The criticism trailing the list of commissioners and other appointments nominated by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has further heightened as a group and scholars described the composition of the nominees “as a continuation of the governor’s longstanding bias against support groups in the state.”
They said the list exhibited a “callous insensitivity to diversity, equity, and fairness.”
Hon. Mohammed Toheeb Owolabi, in an interview with 9NEWS NIGERIA ’ reporter said in response to the issues raised, engagements with relevant stakeholders including the support groups and especially BAAT IDEOLOGY SUPPORT GROUP are ongoing for prompt resolutions.
Earlier, legislators in the state House of Assembly had kicked against the list submitted to them for screening by the governor, saying some local government areas were not represented with many other details as regards support groups participation.
Hon. Mohammed Toheeb Owolabi said: “Over the past years, we have witnessed several instances of injustice towards support groups by the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led state government through its unfavourable policies, lopsided appointments, and infringements on support groups and socio-political rights as a group community by not been a partisan and favouring non political persons in his cabinet.
“The released list of commissioners and other appointments is thus a continuation of the old abnormality and a reaffirmation that the state government has no regard whatsoever has performed in campaign and other electoral activities to bring back the Governor and thereby, this act of Governor Sanwo Olu will affect the APC in subsequent elections.
He said the group had at various times engaged the government regarding the grievances but the government has yet to act on them and even up until this time.
Support Groups make up less than 10 per cent of the list, even though they constitute over 60 per cent of not just the state’s population but her voting public. We observed that out of 39 nominees, only few are chosen and not even from Bat IDEOLOGY support group ,” Hon. Mohammed Tobeeb Owolabi, said.
He said the Baat Ideology Support group rallied around Mr Sanwo-Olu and the APC when most people, especially some other support group that did less have been given appointments in one way or the other.
“We mobilised our community to not only vote for the return of the governor but also defended the votes under very difficult circumstances. It must be stated that the Bat Ideology Support Group did not collect a dime from either the APC flagbearers or any of their opponents in that election. Rather we acted truthfully and selflessly with the hope for a more prosperous Lagos with full self funding all through with provisions of campaign materials with proves all across the state to support the Governor re-election.
We want to emphasise yet again that support groups of the state are not disposable items to be used and discarded at will. It is time that we insist most emphatically that it cannot and will not be business as usual again,” Hon. Mohammed Toheeb Owolabi said.
The group, therefore, demanded a review of the appointments through all spheres.
The support group calls out on the governor to re consider his appointments by considering the support groups that worked hard for his re-election.
So has to encourage support groups coordinations ahead of upcoming elections for advantage of the party (APC)
For: 9News Nigeria
Odesola Oluwaseun
Reporting
