By Dare Akogun
Governor of Kwara state Mallam Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq has once again fail to swear in commissioners into the state executive council even after confirmation by the Kwara state house of Assembly.
The Kwara State Governor had on June 21, 2022 forwarded the names of five commissioner nominees to the state house of Assembly, (just like President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier forwarded names of ministers to the Senate that day ) after some cabinet members of the state resigned their appointments to contest elective positions for the 2023 general elections in the state and national assemblies.
They are former House of Representatives aspirant Dr. Afeez Abolore Alabi (Ilorin East); Adenike Afolabi-Oshatimehin (Ifelodun; and Wahab Femi Agbaje (Offa).
The two other nominees are Gidado Lateef Alakawa (Asa) and Ibrahim Akaje (Ilorin West).
The Kwara State House of Assembly, subsequently confirmed the five Commissioner nominees on July 5, 2022 after they were screened accordingly and considered at the committee of whole.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, thereafter directed the Clerk to the House to communicate the confirmation to the state governor immediately after the proceedings of the day.
However, like President Muhammadu Buhari President who had on Wednesday July 6 inaugurated the seven ministers earlier screened and cleared by the Senate.
Those inaugurated are Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh (Abia State), Umana Umana (Akwa Ibom State) Odum Odih (Rivers State) and Ademola Adegoroye (Ondo State).
The others are Umar El-Yakub (Kano State), Goodluck Opiah (Imo State), and Egwumakama Joseph Nkama (Ebonyi State). They were screened and confirmed by the Senate on June 29, 2022.
Kwarans are still waiting for Governor Abdulrasaq to swear in the new commissioners.
Stock in Trade of Gov. Abdulrasaq’s Administration
This is not the first time this will be happening as the delay in Swearing commissioners has characterised the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq since inception.
It would be recalled that it took Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazak more then six months before swearing in his first set of commissioner’s precisely on December 19, 2019.
The Kwara State House of Assembly had confirmed the screening and appointment of the commissioners on October 31, 2019 after recieving the list from the governor few weeks earlier.
A year later when the Governor Abdulrasaq dissolved his cabinet with effect from December 31, 2020 it took another three months before the governor nominates new set of commissioners.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara on March 23, 2021 forwarded the names of eight new commissioner nominees to the state house of Assembly.
The nominees then are Aliyu Kora-Sabi from Baruten Local Government area; Raji Razaq, Ekiti; Fatima Ariola-Lawal, Ilorin East and Saadah Maddibbo Kawu, Ilorin South.
Others are Kaosarah Adeyi, Ilorin West; Aliyu Muhammad-Saifudeen, Kaiama; Sulaiman Rotimi Iliasu, Moro and Wahab Femi Agbaje from Offa.
Six of the nominees were confirmed the following week.
The Speaker, Yakubu Danladi, announced the confirmation of the nominees after each of them appeared before the House for screening during plenary.
The nominees confirmed by the House were Aliyu Kora-Sabi from Baruten Local Government Area; Raji Razaq, Ekiti; Fatima Ariola-Lawal, Ilorin East; and Aliyu Muhammad-Saifudeen, Kaiama.
Others were Sulaiman Rotimi Iliasu, from Moro LGA; and Wahab Femi Agbaje from Offa.
The six confirmed Commissioner-nominees were among the members of the State Executive Council dissolved in December 2020 by the governor after a year in office.
The seventh nominee that is yet to confirmed is Saadah Maddibbo Kawu, from Ilorin South, was said to be in Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.
While the nomination of 24 year old Kaosarah Adeyi was withdrawn amidst confusion.
Ms Adeyi had been announced at the plenary as one of the eight nominees whose names were sent by the governor to the state House of Assembly for confirmation as commissioners.
The Speaker of the House, had read the letter from the executive on March 23, specifically mentioned Ms Adeyi as the commissioner-nominee from Ilorin West.
But the state government, in a statement released the following day announced the appointment of Ms Adeyi as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Engagement.
This appointment does not require confirmation by the state legislature.
Although the reason for the governor’s backtracking remains unknown, sources said it may be not be unconnected to the stipulation of 25 years as the lowest age for the position.
It came as a surprise to many when Ms Adeyi’s name was missing on the official statement of the House after the plenary of Tuesday.
Against the letter read on the floor of the chamber, the statement listed seven of the eight names earlier stated at the plenary.
On May 4, 2021 the governor forwarded the names of five additional commissioner-nominees to the state House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi, read the governor’s letter containing the names of the nominees during plenary in Ilorin.
The new nominees are Deborah Aremu, Banigbe Oluwatobi, Mr. Ibrahim Sulaiman, Mrs. Margret Edu, and Mrs. Maryam Hassana.
The Governor sworn in the commissioners on May 11, 2021 and one special adviser, charging them to be “exemplary, prudent, creative, and team players.”
The Governor also immediately assigned portfolios to the cabinet members.
The cabinet members sworn in are Senior Ibrahim Suleiman from Ilorin West local government area (Tertiary Education); Arinola Fatimoh Lawal from Ilorin East (Enterprise); Aliyu Kora Sabo from Baruten (Energy); Aliyu Mohammed Saifudeen from Kaiama (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs); Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu from Moro (Works and Transport); Mariam Ahmed Hassana from Patigi (Special Duties); Raji Razaq from Ekiti (Health).
Others are Wahab Femi Agbaje from Offa (Water Resources); Remilekun Oluwatobi Banigbe from Isin (Environment); and Deborah Aremu from Irepodun (Women Affairs and Social Development).
On August 24, 2021 Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq transmitted names of two additional female commissioner nominees to the state House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.
They are Florence Olasumbo Oyeyemi (Oke-Ero) and Afolabi Adenike Osatimehin (Irepodun), the two nominees were among the cabinet members dissolved by the governor.
They are coming back on board almost eight months after the dissolution of the cabinet.
The Assembly however on Tuesday August 31 l, 2021 suspended the screening of Adenike Afolabi-Oshatimeyin, as commissioner.
The House did not give any reason for the suspension, but screened and confirmed another commissioner-nominee, Florence Oyeyemi.
However she was screened the following week and was subsequently sworn in alongside Florence Olasumbo Oyeyemi.
While Oyeyemi was sworn-in as Finance Commissioner, Harriet Adenike Oshatimehin, was sworn-in as Commissioner, Ministry of Youth Development.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, charged the new Commissioners to be team players and key into the administration’s commitment to rebuild the state for greatness.
“As you are aware, Kwara State is undergoing a rebuilding process, prudence, discipline, team work and sacrifice and have been our watchwords,” he stated.
On the 23rd of December 2021 the speaker of house reads another letter from the governor nominating four additional Commissioner nominees for screening and confirmation.
The Commissioner nominees are Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi, from Asa Local Government, Adamu Jemilat-Baki, from Baruten Local Government, Gabriel Olabode Towoju, from Oke-Ero Local Government and Ibrahim Akaje, from Ilorin West Local Government
The governor sworn in the new commissioners on January 14, 2022.
The new cabinet members inaugurated yesterday are: Abdulmaliq Bashir Mopelola Risikatullah (Women Affairs); George Olabode Towoju (Communications); Ibrahim Akaje (Housing); and Adamu Jamila Bake (Youth).
Barrister Sambo Murtala, recently announced the Special Adviser on Legal Matters, was also sworn-in.
In a statement issued in Ilorin signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye stated that the governor also moved three existing cabinet members to other ministries – a step he said was meant to improve service delivery to the people of the state.
He said “the rejig saw Olaitan Abosede Buraimoh moving from Communications to Environment, while Remilekun Banigbe now heads the newly created Budget and Planning.
“Formerly of Youth Development, Adenike Harriet Oshatimehin goes to the newly created Solid Minerals which evolved from the defunct bulky Ministry of Enterprise. Deborah Aremu stays in the now standalone Ministry of Social Development.
“The development means the state now has 20 ministries, with the old Ministry of Finance and Planning evolving into Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Budget and Planning respectively. The old Works has now been divided into Ministry of Works and Ministry of Housing respectively.
