Indications have emerged that the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, might be offered a soft landing and allowed to complete his tenure. That is in spite of the impeachment threats and allegations of gross misconducts levelled against him by the members of the Lagos State of House of Assembly. This was even his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, is today expected to appear before the members of the state lawmakers as requested by the Assembly. She is expected to explain what she knows about the allegations of gross misconduct. The deputy governor was also summoned along four Commissioners including the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem.
The commissioners appeared at the Assembly yesterday. Speaking with New Telegraph, a source in the House of Assembly, who craved anonymity, said that they might reconsider the stance and give the governor a soft landing on the impeachment saga. He said although efforts were being made to pacify the lawmakers to allow the governor complete his term, explanations by the commissioners and Ambode’s deputy could be accepted as that of the one offered by the governor. “His appearance for the explanations of the alleged infractions might be overlooked after the explanations by the commissioners and his deputy but that of physical appearance for the laying of the budget is crucial. The governor must appear for that.
The lawmakers wouldn’t want it to look as if Ambode could dare them.” The House, had after an emergency meeting conveyed by the House’s Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, accused the Ambode- led administration of spending outside the budget approved by Assembly in the 2018 budget, describing the actions as a breach of the constitutional provision and infractions.
It added that the its investigation had also revealed that spending has been taking place in the 2019 budget which has neither been presented nor approved by the House. Following the allegations, the legislative arm of government summoned the governor to explain the alleged infractions noticed in the 2018 budget where he was accused of spending outside the budget approved by the House of Assembly.
The House’s Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa gave the governor a seven-day ultimatum to appear before it or face impeachment. But debunking the allegations of witch-hunting and selfishness during a recent briefing of journalists, the House Leader Sinai Agunbiade, had said that lawmakers were just playing their roles as required by the law in a democratic setting. Agunbiade had said:” It is not witch-hunting as people believe. To make expenditure from the budget, you must have laid it before the House. For now, we don’t have the budget. So, you can’t spend. As legislators we must do things properly.”
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