Akinwunmi Ambode, the 14th Governor of Lagos State did not get a
second term in office, he was accused of committing many sins against
the power that be in Lagos. This report takes a look at the
allegations levelled against him and ongoing probe by the Lagos House
Assembly.
Former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, is in the news
again as the Lagos State House of Assembly recently set up a committee
to investigate the purchase of 820 buses procured by his defunct
administration.
This time around, it is not whether his residence had been invaded by
operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or
not, it’s about bringing him down to the House to tell the people he
served for four years how best he served them. He is not alone in the
ongoing probe. Four of his Commissioners allegedly privy to the
purchase had been summoned by the House to appear before the probe
panel.
The Assembly also alleged that the former governor of the state, was
involved in unauthorised discounting of promissory note and purchase
of 820 buses without due authorisation.
The Assembly, therefore, asked the former governor to appear before it
today, Wednesday October 30, 2019.
The ex-governor was first summoned about two weeks ago alongside some
former government officials, including the former commissioners for
Finance, Economic Planning; Justice and Attorney General, and
Permanent Secretary, Economic Planning.
The invite was titled: ‘Notice of summons: Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (the
former Governor of Lagos State),’ and signed by the Clerk of the
House, Mr. A. A. Sanni.
The notice stated further that, “The Lagos State House of Assembly,
pursuant to Section 129 (1 )(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) hereby summons His
Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode , the former Governor of Lagos State
(May , 2015 – May , 2019) to appear before the Committee of the
committee”.
Ambode was asked to appear to clarify the following: unauthorised
discounting of promissory note, purchase of 820 buses by his
administration without due authorisation; misappropriation of Special
Expenditure Funds; improper implementation of the appropriation law
and non- adherence to the financial regulations of the state.
In the unfolding milieu, three ex-Commissioners of Ambode, were
interrogated by the 16-man investigation panel set up by the Lagos
State House of Assembly to probe the controversial purchase of 820
buses during the ex-governor’s administration.
The three ex-commissioners who appeared are Mr Wale Oluwo (Energy),
Mr. Toyin Suarau (Agriculture) and Mr Olusegun Banjo (Budget).
While speaking on the invitation, Banjo stated that, “I was invited by
a letter dated October 11, 2019 to appear before the committee on
Tuesday, 15th October 2019 to answer questions on the buses as they
relate to the function of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget
headed by me during the last administration. I attended the meeting
and questions were asked under oath. Pointed questions relating to the
activities of the Ministry were posed to me”.
He said that “On February 2018 when I was appointed, the issue of bus
purchase had already been on the ground”
Banjo stated categorically that, “I am not in a position to know what
exactly transpired on the issue of the buses as I was not in
Government when the issue was tabled and approved by the State
Executive Council and neither was I drafted into the bus Steering
committee on assumption of duty in February 2019.
According to him, ex- governor Akinwunmi Ambode side-lined his
ministry in the controversial purchase of 820 mass transit buses for N
45 bn.
Banjo, who served under Ambode as Commissioner for Economic Planning
and Budget, however, said his former principal shunned the procurement
tradition he met on the ground and did not carry his ministry along as
regards the purchase of the mass transit buses.
According to him, “The way the ministry was structured (under Ambode),
it did not allow us to function well.
“The N24bn did not come to my ministry. We didn’t have a running
system. As a commissioner, I could not approve one Naira. All the MDAs
approached the governor directly.”
The ex-commissioner said, “Ambode’s administration was not
transparent,” adding that “a lot of things could be done without the
knowledge of the commissioners.”
“I don’t know what happens to unbudgeted funds when it comes because
the Ministry of Finance does not inform my ministry; we don’t have a
running system,” Banjo said.
But, the Accountant – General of Lagos State , Mrs Shukrat Umar, when
asked if the budget for the purchase of the buses was approved by the
State Executive Council , said, “The State Treasury Office acted on
Exco’s approval. The buses were in line with Exco’s approval. I would
not know whether the Paris Refund Club was discussed or not. ”
As the chickens come to roost, former Commissioner of Economic
planning Olusegun Banjo went for the jugular of an online media,
saying their report was a deliberate misrepresentation of what
transpired during the meeting with the 9-man Ad Hoc committee of Lagos
State House of Assembly investigating the purchase of 820 buses during
the Administration of former Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode
He said that “On February 2018 when I was appointed, the issue of bus
purchase had already been on the ground”
Regarding the operations of the Ministry, “I brought it to the
attention of the committee that the operating system need to be
reviewed and also mentioned other weaknesses in a professional manner.
”It is pertinent to note that these observations had earlier been
included in the new administration and as it affects all arms of
Government and not the executive alone. I was therefore, contrary to
the impression sought to be portrayed by the press”.
According to him, “I wish to state that I am not in a position to know
what exactly transpired on the issue of the buses as I was not in
Government when the issue was tabled and approved by the State
Executive Council and neither was I drafted into the bus Steering
committee on assumption of duty in February 2019.
Oluwo also dissociated himself from indicting the ex- governor saying,
“I attended the second session of the Committee proceedings on October
15, 2019.The ex-Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Toyin Suarau, and I
were called into the Committee room at the same time. So, the
questions asked both of us were in the open. Suarau was asked
questions on the Lagos State Rice Mill project in Imota while I was
asked questions on the LED-UK street lights installations (a UK Exim
Bank funded project”.
“I answered the committee’s questions to the best of the information
available to me and at no time was anyone of us asked questions on
Oshodi Interchange or any other projects outside the two mentioned
above.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I reiterate that I did not and could
never have indicted former governor Mr. Akinwumi Ambode “I am a
committed democrat, a loyal team player and a strong believer in the
principle of collective responsibility” said Oluwo.
In a show of defiance, Ambode was expected to appear on Tuesday before
the 16 -man committee chaired by Fatai Mojeed, but he did not show up.
The immediate- past Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade; and
ex- Commissioner for Special Duties, Oladejo Seye, also failed to
appear but they both wrote to the committee explaining that they were
out of the country.
As the embattled governor keeps mum on the allegations, the Assembly
too had since taken a step further by placing public summon for the
former governor in National dailies. Source within the Assembly
revealed that the Assembly is likely to wield its sword by declaring
him wanted if he fails to honour their invitation.
Culled from Leadership
