Lagos – The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday gave the state’s Head of Service, Mrs Folashade Jaji, 24 hours to appear before it over the renewal of tenure of members of the Judicial Service Commission.
Jaji was summoned to appear over the renewal of the tenure without recourse to the Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Assembly, during its last plenary session on July 2, called on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to dissolve the Commission following the expiration of the five-year tenure of its members.
However, a letter written by the Judicial Service Commission and read on the Assembly floor by the House Clerk, Mr Ganiyu Abiru on Monday indicated that the tenure of the members had been renewed.
According to the letter, the tenure of the commission’s membership has been renewed by the Head of Service after due process was followed.
Reacting to the letter, Mr Sanai Agunbiade (APC- Ikorodu 1), the Majority Leader of the Assembly, said that the renewal of the tenure without recourse to the Assembly was unconstitutional.
“Judicial Service Commission was created by the constitution, the appointment of its members is subject to the approval of the House of Assembly.
“Does the Head of Service have the power to renew the membership of a commission without recourse to the Assembly?”
He urged the House to look into other commissions of government created by the constitution where members overstayed in office.
Also speaking, Mr Abiodun Tobun (APC-Epe 1) said: “the re-appointment was done in hurry, it flouts the provision of the constitution as there was no letter to the House with regard to the reappointment.
“Some of these people may not be qualified again to represent the Lagosians.”
Mr Rotimi Abiru (Somolu 2) said that independence of legislature was sacrosanct stressing that the membership of such commission had to be subjected to the screening of the Assembly.
Abiru prayed the Assembly to summon the Head of Service for explanation on renewal the tenure of the commission’s membership without the approval of the House.
Mr Moshood Oshun (APC-Mainland 2) also said: “The Governor in 2010 did the right thing by seeking the House approval for appointment into the commission.
“They need to be invited for explanation on why the due process was not followed in renewing the appointments.’’
Other lawmakers took turns to condemn the re-appointment saying the power of the legislature should not be usurped or trampled upon by the executive.
Responding, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa (APC-Agege 1) said that the position of the House on dissolution of the commission was still standing.
Obasa said that the Head of Service must be invited to educate the House on the due process that was followed in renewing the tenure of the members of the commission.
He said that the executive arm of government had not written the House to counter its position that the commission should be dissolved as its tenure has ended.
“The Head of Service should be invited tomorrow Tuesday, July 28 to appear before the House on the issue.
“ It would also serve as a signal to other agencies and parastatals that once their tenure ends, they should leave office automatically.
“The fact that the House clears them for the first time does not mean we will do the same for the second term.
“Some of them might not be found suitable or capable for re-appointment. We will give them opportunity to come and say their own side of the story.
” So the position of the House stands; whatever the letter written by the commission, we are sure the executive would do the resolve of the Assembly,” Obasa said.
The Speaker directed the Clerk to write the Head of Service to appear before the House during its plenary session on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Bill 2015 and the Lagos State Property Protection Bill 2015 were read on the floor of the House for the first time. (NAN)
