Tension erupted at the Alimosho Local Government Area secretariat yesterday as the suspended Chairman, Jelili Sulaimon, and his Vice Chairman, Akinpelu Johnson, engaged in a dispute over control of the office.
Sulaimon was suspended from his position by the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday due to allegations of misconduct. In their directive, the lawmakers instructed the Manager and Treasurer of the council to acknowledge Johnson as the acting Chairman and to provide him with necessary support for his duties.
Despite this suspension, Sulaimon defied the House’s order, attempting to resume his role at the secretariat in Alimosho. A video surfaced showing him arriving at the council office, where he was greeted by a crowd showing their support.
Reports indicate that both Sulaimon and Johnson were unable to access the chairman’s office, which was locked. Shortly thereafter, both left the premises for an undisclosed location.
Councillors Deny Vice Chairman’s Suspension
In a related development, four out of the seven councillors in Alimosho Local Government have publicly rejected claims of Johnson’s suspension by three of their colleagues.
In a statement issued by Deputy Leader Mojisola Ayeni (Ward D), along with Saheed Adejoke (Ward C), Rasheed Semiu (Ward E), and Elizabeth Fashina (Ward F), the councillors praised the House of Assembly for its intervention and encouraged stakeholders to continue their work.
The statement, titled “Illegal Suspension of Akinpelu Ibrahim Johnson, Vice Chairman of Alimosho Local Government,” asserted: “We, the undersigned legislators from Alimosho Local Government, officially dissociate ourselves from the staged and illegal suspension of Mr. Akinpelu Johnson, the Vice Chairman.
“We condemn the actions of the minority legislators who, acting under the direction of the suspended Chairman, have attempted to undermine Johnson’s position. We would like to stress that the Vice Chairman has not been suspended at any point, and we fully support him as he continues to lead the local government.”