Actor and film director, Desmond Elliot, has been sidelined in the appointment of committee chairmen in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The filmmaker was until July the chairman of the House Committee on Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Speaker Mudashiru Obasa had dissolved the House committees in October 2017, but the chairmen were allowed to operate in acting capacity until a reconstitution was announced last month.
While some members retained their position, others were redeployed to other committees as chairmen
Only eight out of the 40 members were not appointed chairmen.
One of those sidelined is Elliot, who was elected to the parliament in 2015 to represent Surulere I Constituency.
The new chairman of the House Committee on Tourism, Art and Culture is Noheem Adams representing Eti-Osa I.
Adams is said to be learning the ropes in the art, entertainment and tourism circle in Lagos.
A source close to Speaker Obasa, however, told Qed.ng on condition of anonymity that due process was followed in the appointment of committee chairmen.
“Honourable Desmond Elliot, like other members of the Assembly, is very dear to the Honourable Speaker, so there is no ulterior motive behind his non-appointment as committee chairman, the source said.
One of Elliot’s major outings as committee chairman was the 71st Cannes Film Festival held in France in May 2018.
