Lagos Assembly probes Isolo Councillors  Crisis

By Ladapo Kolade

Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government Administration and Community Affairs is expected at the headquarters of the Isolo Local Council Development Area toady Monday to probe the lingering crisis among the councillors.

The move, ECHONEWS learnt, is in response to a petition to the Speaker of the state’s legislative arm, Honourable Mudasiru Obasa by the four councillors affected by the sanctions of the Leader, Hon. Remy Shittu Remy.

Hon. Akeem Ayoola who represents Ilasamaja Ward and the Chief Whip, Hon.

Olanrewaju Kayode who represents Alagbeji Ward were suspended and Hon. Abisodun 

O d u s i n a – A d e o y e who represents Ire-Akari/Ishaga Ward F4 and Hon. Kanayo 

Osondu who represents Okota

Ward were fined.

To lead the House Committee is the chairman, Hon. Olawale Olayiwola Sobur, representing Mushin constituency 1 popularly known as  Omititi.

Other members are Hon. Rasheed Makinde, Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, Hon. Olawale Age Sulaimon and Hon. Kehinde Joseph.

ECHONEWS learnt that the committee was directed to probe the remote and immediate causes of the crisis and what led to the invasion of the Legislative chambers of the Isolo LCDA by thugs.

As the House of Assembly gets set for the exercise, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is also intervening and has set up hearings into the matter on Wednesday, March 24, this year at the party’s headquarters at Acme Road, Ogba.

The hearing is expected to be chaired by the chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun and is being held in response to a report of disobedience to party orders against  the council leader, Remy Shittu Remy.

It will be recalled that the Isolo Local Council Development Area of the party suspended Remy Shittu from the party last week for disobeying directives to recall the sanctioned councillors.

Party chairman, Barrister Gani Bello told ECHONEWS that the Leader refused to execute its orders.

“It is true, we’ve suspended him for being disobedient to party’s mandate. We gave him a directive to go and lift the suspension of his honourable colleagues on Monday, March 8. We gave him the directive on the third of March that he should reconvene the plenary and lift that suspension. Instead of complying with that order, he set up a committee to review the directive of the party, that’s an insult. He did not recall them on that Monday, and even on Thursday, March 11.

“On Monday, March 15, he did not recall them and at each session, he also has a way to frustrate the proposal to recall them.

“On Monday, he encouraged the councillor from Ajao Estate that’s Hon. Chidiebere Iheasirim to move a motion for recess instead of lifting the suspension of his fellow councillors and the reason for the suspension was most flimsy and unreasonable.”

The moves by the House of Assembly and the APC state party executive follow earlier moves by the forum of women councillors across the state to resolve the impasse.

The councillors had responded swiftly to a Save Our Soul message posted on the councillors’ whatshapp platform by the only woman councillor in the council – Abisodun Adeoye-Odusina – urging her fellows to rescue her.

The councillors met the Leader, Remy Shittu, on Tuesday and prevailed on him to resolve the crisis.

ECHONEWS learnt that he agreed and immediately called each of the councillors to a peace parley meant to hold the next day, Wednesday. 

However, when the councillors reconvened, the sanctioned councillors refused to show up because they did not believe the Leader would change.

Besides, they had petitioned the House of Assembly which has superior powers over the local council.

Ahead of Monday meeting, there were unconfirmed reports that the council chairman, Hon. Shamsudeen Olaleye has been calling the disaffected councillors to a parley to resolve crisis.