Tension erupted at the Alimosho Local Government Area secretariat yesterday as the suspended Chairman, Jelili Sulaimon, and his Vice Chairman, Akinpelu Johnson, clashed over control of the office.
The Lagos State House of Assembly suspended Sulaimon on Monday due to alleged misconduct and instructed the council’s Manager and Treasurer to recognize Vice Chairman Johnson and provide him with the necessary support to carry out his duties effectively.
Despite this suspension order, Sulaimon defied the lawmakers, attempting to resume his duties at the council secretariat. In a video that circulated online, Sulaimon was seen entering the secretariat, greeted by a crowd of supporters showing solidarity.
Reports indicate that both Sulaimon and Johnson were unable to access the chairman’s office as it was locked. Following the standoff, the two left the premises for an undisclosed location.
Meanwhile, four out of the seven councillors in the council publicly denounced Johnson’s purported suspension, asserting that it was orchestrated by three of their colleagues. In a statement led by Deputy Leader Mojisola Ayeni (Ward D), along with Saheed Adejoke (Ward C), Rasheed Semiu (Ward E), and Elizabeth Fashina (Ward F), they expressed their support for Johnson and urged all stakeholders to carry on with their activities.
The statement, titled “Illegal Suspension of Akinpelu Ibrahim Johnson, Vice Chairman Alimosho Local Government,” reads: “We, the undersigned legislators from Alimosho Local Government, officially dissociate ourselves from the staged-managed and illegal suspension of Mr. Akinpelu Johnson, the Vice Chairman of Alimosho Local Government.
“We condemn the purported suspension of the Vice Chairman by minority legislators, who acted on instructions from the validly suspended Chairman. We would like to emphasize that at no time was the Vice Chairman suspended, and we are prepared to support him in the administration of the Local Government moving forward.”