The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday openly confronted the Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Bode Agoro, accusing his office of illegally issuing appointment letters to Governor’s nominees without legislative confirmation.
Lawmakers said the HoS had repeatedly undermined due process by enabling unconfirmed nominees to assume public offices and, in some cases, gain access to state funds.
Those affected include heads of key agencies such as the Parks Authority, Lagos State Drivers Institute, Lagos Waterways Authority, and the Executive Secretary of the Jakande Centre.
During a heated plenary, members grilled Agoro over the source of funding for these unconfirmed appointees.
When pressed, he admitted his office only issued letters, claiming salary payments were handled by ministries under their Commissioners and Accounting Officers.
Agoro’s apology was flatly rejected by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who accused him of repeatedly breaching the law.
“What have you done? You can’t call this an omission after it happened three times. Did they have the legal right?” the Speaker thundered.
Other lawmakers, including Hon. Richard Kasumu, demanded accountability. “Who takes responsibility for this violation?” Kasumu asked pointedly.
Agoro maintained that the actions were not deliberate, pledging corrective measures and promising to recall the appointees until due legislative approval was secured.
But Speaker Obasa dismissed his defence as a failure of duty, declaring that the Head of Service “has not done well” and that the matter amounted to a systemic disregard for the law.
The confrontation now deepens the rift between the Lagos Assembly and the executive, raising serious questions about legality, accountability, and the checks and balances of governance in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
