By  Olasunk Anmi & Gbenga Akanmu
The 40 members of the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed the 37 commissioner -nominees forwarded to the House by Governor Babatunde Fashola at the end of the screening exercise.

The nominees were confirmed at the sitting of the House at the conclusion of the screening exercise. However, it should be noted that most of the nominees were given easy way out as they were asked to only take a bow.

The 12 screened yesterday include the former Commissioner in the Ministry of Tourism, Adesegun Oniru, former Senior Assistant to the Governor on Transport, Kayode Opeifa, a former senior staff in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Fatai Olukoga, a former House of Representatives member, Cornelius Ojelabi and  a former Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Seye Oladejo.

Others are Olayinka Oladunjoye, Enitan Oshodi, Senakpon Oworu, Lateef Oludare Raji, Abimbola Sodipo and Taofeek Tijani.

Meanwhile some parts of the state have written the House protesting the nomination of some cabinet candidates.

While the people of Mushin has rejected the nomination of Seye Oladejo, a former Chairman of the area who they say has not been active and has neglected the party especially in the area, the people of Epe have also raised alarm over the nomination of Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, who they said was dismissed from the state Ministry of Finance where she worked during the military era of Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

In two separate petitions written to the House by two groups in the area, Mr. Oladejo was accused of poor performance while being the chairman. He was also accused of neglecting the area after he exited the office of the chairman and added that since leaving office, he has not resided in Mushin.

The accusations against Mrs. Oladunjoye, the petitioners said she was sympathetic to the Labour Party during the last elections.

But the members of the House rejectazed the demand by the petitioners that the nominees should be dropped.

While some of them said there was nothing they could do since they did not nominate the candidates, others said the petitioners were only aggrieved and that their petitions had deeper objectives.

They also said it would be necessary to investigate the allegations against the nominees.

The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, while reacting to the petition, said the Governor had the right to pick his appointees and that such appointees must not necessarily be representatives of their various local government councils.

Ikuforiji also said there is limited power of the people to pick such appointees since it is the duty of the Governor. He maintained that though the petitioners may be right, they should channel their grievances to the Governor.

”Of course, because Labour Party is an enemy, the Epe people may be right to say that the candidate from their area is not fit to be chosen, but the same petition has said she has retraced her steps,” he said.
The Speaker also presented a copy of the letter retiring her as against the dismissal they claimed.