Ondo Assembly concludes first phase of Commissioner-nominees screening, reaffirms commitment to due process

The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon.Chief Olamide Oladiji, has commended the commissioner-nominees for demonstrating exceptional maturity during their screening.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the screening exercise of the last batch of the twelve Commissioner-nomminees, Oladiji said the nominees conducted themselves admirably despite the rigorous nature of the process.

“I must appreciate the nominees for conducting themselves in a manner that displayed the required maturity. Normally, screening is handled by principal officers, but I decided to make it a committee of the whole House. With such a structure, questions came from all directions, yet they tolerated and accommodated us,” the Speaker said.

He noted that the nominees possess not only the required qualifications but also significant experience.

 “Some of them are top-grade technocrats, while others combine political exposure with professionalism. There’s none that stayed less  than one hour; we diligently examined their documents and credentials,” he added.

Oladiji revealed that 12 nominees had been screened, with four more names received over the weekend, bringing the total to 16. He assured that due process would be followed in line with Section 192 of the Constitution, noting that confirmation would only come after the entire screening process is completed.

On petitions received, the Speaker clarified: “Yes, we received one petition, but its gravity was not substantial. It centered on gender equality and zoning, not on forgery or misconduct. We take only weighty allegations seriously.”

The four Commissioner -nominees who spoke in separate interviews with The Hope promised to ensure effective service delivery if confirmed.

One of the commissioner-nominees, Idowu Ajanaku,said he is ready to bring innovations to governance if confirmed.

“I have served under two governors in Lagos State—Babatunde Fashola as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, and Akinwunmi Ambode as Special Adviser. It’s now time to give back all I’ve learned to my home state,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to the Speaker and House members for their professionalism: “They were not only thorough but also asked critical questions. The Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and other members were straightforward and treated us with dignity. I’m ready to work  for the development of our state.”

 Abiola Olawoye ,the current Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, lands and housing said his focus, if confirmed, would be on urban renewal and socio-economic development.

“The screening process was tough, but we pulled through. I appreciate Governor Aiyedatiwa for finding me worthy of this role. I promise to serve the good people of Ondo State diligently.”

For Johnson Alabi, who is the current Special Adviser to the Governor on power,his target is to revolutionize the energy sector in the state.

 “If posted to the Ministry of Energy, my goal is for every consumer in Ondo State to have access to 24/7 electricity. I’m approaching this role like a business because governance is business,” Alabi stated.

He praised the Assembly for its robust screening.“They asked deep, unexpected questions, and the process was thorough. I’ve been in the private sector all my life, and I plan to bring that mindset into public service.”

 Segun Omoyofunmi described the screening process as peaceful but intensive. He pledged to bring innovation into the system if confirmed.

 “I’m ready to change the narrative and introduce new solutions to old challenges. The government will be proud of the results.”