20th May, 2011
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, South West Nigeria will formally dissolve his over 40- member cabinet on Monday.
The cabinet comprises 20 commissioners, over 20 other special advisers and the Head of Service, the deputy governor, with Fashola as chairman.
Many of the commissioners have started parking their belongings from their offices and writing their hand over notes in preparation for their exit from office on Monday.
After serving for four years and being part of the success story of the Fashola-led administration, the commissioners and special advisers will bow out with their head high while some considered good enough might return.
A special valedictory session for the dissolution of the cabinet by the governor will be held on Monday where Fashola will formally thank them for their service to the state.
The valedictory service is expected to be emotional as members will bid themselves farewell and exchange pleasantaries.
However, some members of the cabinet who started with the administration in 2007 will not be part of the valedictory session as some resigned or were sacked from office.
Those who resigned were the former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Opeyemi Bamidele, who is now a member of the House of Representatives-elect in Ekiti State and former Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Segun Ayobolu, who resigned on health grounds.
Former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Victoria Orelope-Adefulire also resigned her appointment to become Fashola’s running mate in the just concluded election and is now the deputy governor-elect for Lagos.
Former Commissioner for Agriculture and Co-operatives, Chief Enock Ajiboso and his counterpart in the Housing Ministry, Dele Onabokun were sacked.
Onabokun was sacked during the electioneering campaign over alleged anti-party activities and romancing with the Labour Party.
The special adviser who was sacked was Mr. Sesan Olanrewaju of the Environment Ministry. Reason for his sack was not given.
Many of the commissioners during the ongoing ministerial briefings gave their farewell speeches and solicited support for their successors.
One of those who vowed never to come back into Fashola’s next cabinet is the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire.
Banire had served as commissioner for 12 years. He served as commissioner for eight years under the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and four years under Fashola.
He is now the National Legal Adviser of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.
According to him, he would not come back for another term because he wanted to give others the opportunity to serve the state.
However, some commissioners and special advisers, it was gathered, had started lobbying to be part of Fashola’s next administration.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga