Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Monday, threatened to impeach Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, over what they termed gross misconduct and infractions on the state budgets for 2018 and 2019. Beyond the 2019 budget crisis, other allegations levelled against the governor were slow space of governance in Lagos, and spending of monies without legislative approval by the state House of Assembly. Wale Elegbede reports the stand of the lawmakers on issues
Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker (Agege I)
The Attorney General, Finance Commissioner and Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, who ought to have advised the governor, did not do so. The most important thing is that we should let the people know that a budget that was yet to be approved is being implemented, which was why we could not attend to the governor on the budget on Monday, January 21.
We must give them a fair hearing to come and explain what happened. The point has been made that there must be something before the House before you can commence expenditure. We want to call on the governor to come within a week to explain himself along with the commissioners. We can start gathering signatures for impeachment, but we will exercise patience and wait till another time.
Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, Deputy Speaker (Lagos Island 1)
The committee met with the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Segun Banjo, who said that no money had been spent for the year. The Accountant General also told the committee that warrant had been issued that they could spend up to 25 per cent of the preceding budget before the approval of that for the New Year.
We pointed out that the governor ought to lay the budget of the New Year before December 31, but so far, the budget is yet to be laid, which was on January 23. We asked them to bring out the law that allows them to spend up to 20 per cent of the budget of the preceding year. They could not bring out such law and we said what they did was wrong. We discovered that people have started receiving alerts and this has a grave implication for the executive.
It is our finding that for smooth running of government, there must be strict adherence to the constitution and it must not be violated. We decided to bring the report before the lawmakers for us to take action.
Gbolahan Yishawu, Eti-Osa 11
The Committee on Budget discovered during budget appropriation review that there were some specific expenditure in the budgets that ought to have been approved by the House over which funds were expended. There were misnomers and we noticed variation in the expenditure and budget approved.
We had issues of virement and monies being spent without approval. We had cases of items that were not budgeted for being carried out. It shows that the executive rewrite the budget at will. The constitution states that the State House of Assembly must approve all expenditures.
Things are shutting down; things are being slowed down by the government. It is as if the executive is tired and people are complaining. It is as if nothing is happening in the state now. A breach of the constitution and gross misconduct are being committed here and the punishment is clear. We should begin an impeachment process if need be and if the executive does not retrace its steps.
Tunde Buraimoh, Kosofe II
We all swore to uphold the tenets of the constitution of Nigeria. Sections 120 and 121 explain the roles of each arm of government, when it comes to financial expenditure. If we continue like this, it means we are moving on the ebb of destruction. The issue of gross misconduct should be closely looked into and necessary sanctions applied.
Bisi Yusuf, Alimosho I
With his level of exposure, the governor cannot claim ignorance. He is being surrounded by intellectuals, including the Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, so they ought to have advised him.
The Attorney General ought to have been removed for quoting a law that does not exist. All those, who are giving the governor bad advice should be removed. In the whole of Lagos, things have shut down. This is an offence that is not pardonable. I want to say this is an impeachable offence.
Rotimi Olowo, Shomolu II
Rewriting of the budget is an impeachable offence. Government has been shut down and our roads are in a sorry state. There must be continuity of projects in the budget and this is not followed. Borrowing without informing the House is an impeachable offence. IPP is being owed. If the governor is tired, he should resign.
Moshood Oshun, Lagos Mainland 11
When you apply for a job, and you are given, if you are tired, you can leave. If the governor is tired, he should go. The budget is a law, when we pass a budget and they rewrite it, what they say is that they are above the law. If you go to Alausa today, all the MDAs have shut down. All their files are with the governor and he is not working on them.
Richard Kasunmu, Ikeja 11
This is non-compliance to the rule of law. The state is about to be totally shut down, so we should checkmate the situation. If the governor is tired, he should throw in the towel. We cannot standstill because some people are tired.
Rasheed Makinde, Ifako-Ijaiye 11
Three years down the line, the executive cannot tell the people of Lagos that it doesn’t know what it is doing. It is obvious that the governor is tired, so he and members of his cabinet should all go.
They even made a mistake in the letter they wrote to the House. Lagos State used to present its budget before others and even before the Federal Government. They ought to work based on the budget or they come for reordering.
All government agencies have been rendered useless; civil servants are sleeping in their offices. The state House of Assembly must approve the budget. We must pass a vote of no confidence on the Attorney General, commissioners for Budget, Finance, the governor and the deputy governor.
Yinka Ogundimu, Agege II
The governor has always disobeyed our motions. They refused to follow our motions on the environment, which is why everywhere is dirty. If you look at the various projects not provided for in the budget that are being done, then it is breach of the constitution.
The people concerned should resign before we invoke the aspect of the constitution that gives us power to remove them from office. We should make it clear that there have been warnings from us.
Sola Giwa, Lagos Island 11
This is a matter of constitutionality and it is about the law. We all swore to uphold the law. If you breach the law, there is a consequence and the best is for the House to begin an impeachment process.
Victor Akande, Ojo 1
There is no need for virement according to the constitution. I don’t think there is any budget before the House. The constitution states that the budget must be laid and it is a gross misconduct if that was not done. So, we should do the needful.
Fatai Mojeed, Ibeju-Lekki 1
We received the money from Paris Fund refund and other funds, the executive did not take permission before they spent the money.
Jude Idimogu, Oshodi-Isolo 11
The government is not moving forward. Our party is the All Progressives Congress (APC) and we are doing well, but the government is not putting us in that light and we have the opposition that is watching us. No budget has been laid before the House. The needful is impeachment.
Noheem Raheem, Eti-Osa 1
I support the fact that they should resign if they are tired.
Fatai Oluwa, Ajeromi/Ifelodun 11
This is a deliberate attempt by the governor not to bring the budget before the House. He is surrounded by erudite lawyers who ought to have advised him. Public Works, LAWMA, IPP are no more working. If it would be necessary to sign and send him out of office, it would be okay.
Oladele Adekanye, Lagos Mainland 1
It is clear that there are infractions and impeachable offence committed. The defences of the commissioners are not tenable.
Sabur Olayiwola, Mushin 11
There have been abuse of the constitution and disobedient to the constitution. Spending without making recourse to the Assembly is an impeachable offence. The best thing is to show him that we are representing our people and that we are not here for fun.
The best thing is to let them know that we mean business. The Permanent Secretary/Accountant General that is talking about 25 per cent spending should be brought to book.
Akeem Shokunle, Oshodi/Isolo 1
The financial misconduct of the governor is obvious and we should begin an impeachment process.
Mosunmola Sangodara, Surulere 11
The situation is an unfortunate one. Section 121 of the Constitution states the appropriation bill should be laid before the House and this has not been done. It is an abuse of office and an undue influence by the governor. We can start an impeachment process and pass a vote of no confidence on some of the members of the executive.
Funmilayo Tejuosho, Mushin 1
We are the voice of the people of Lagos State and we perform oversight functions to ensure that the government does the best for the people. Accountability is not being done here. Section 121 of the Constitution made it clear that the appropriation bill should be laid before the house.
Section 122 states that if that has been done, you can now spend 25 per cent of the budget estimate for a period of six months. We need to forward the infractions to the governor. The tax payers should know what their money is being spent on.
Setonji David, Badagry 11
The infractions are too grave, there is a problem and we need to do what is right. The government must be held responsible for its actions.
Akeem Bello, Amuwo Odofin 11
The governor and his deputy should tender their resignation letters.
Dayo Saka-Fafunmi, Ifako-Ijaiye 1
I am sad over the revelations over what the deputy speaker read and during our interactions with the executive. The business of governance is not based on sentiments, it is based on law. Section 120 of the Constitution that talks about the public fund is very important. Public fund does not belong to any of us; it belongs to the people of Lagos State.
Section 120 sub-section (2) states that no money should be withdrawn from the accounts of the state unless it is approved by the House. All the violations amount to gross misconduct. Section 188 defines gross misconduct. We strongly believe that essential services that ought to be met are missing in the state.
I am in line with the statement and decisions of the members that if the executive members are not ready for governance, they should resign or be impeached.
Mojisola Miranda, Apapa 1
The constitution is clear that there is punishment for any offence.
Dayo Famakinwa, Ajeromi/Ifelodun 1
I want to support my colleagues that the offences are impeachable and we should activate the process immediately.
Saka Solaja, Ikorodu 11
A budget is financial instrument that analyses and interprets the financial expenditure. Since 1999, Lagos State has always been presenting its budget as and when due, but that has not been done at the moment. Financial regulations and the constitution have been breached. We should start a process of impeachment immediately.
Folajinmi Mohammed, Ikeja I
There is a vagrant abuse of the constitution, which is an impeachable offence.
Lanre Ogunyemi, Ojo 11
It is an issue of flagrant disobedient to the constitution. A review of a previous year’s budget is a precursor to the approval of the new budget. A review of the 2018 budget shows poor performance. MDAs complained of inability to access their funds. All these infractions should be communicated to the governor for his reaction and if he fails to do so, the House can begin a process of impeachment.
Omotayo Oduntan, Alimosho 11
Today is a sad day. The executive just moved money from one ministry to another without recourse to the Assembly. When all these happen, it shows total disregard for the budget passed by the House. We should get across to the governor to explain himself else we should begin an impeachment process.
Sanai Agunbiade, Majourity Leader (Ikorodu 1)
There are three arms of government of which the executive is one. Our government is still running and not shut down. What we want to do is to ensure that the infractions by one arm of government do not affect another. It is clear that the budget has not been presented before the House. My colleagues have addressed all the issues. We should let the public know that we do not have the budget before the House.
Three suggestions we made, that the commissioners, who were approved by the House and are working with the governor should have vote of no confidence passed on them. They have failed in their responsibilities.
The next is for the governor to resign or we should begin an impeachment process against him. We can communicate to him to resign and failure to do that is for us to start collecting signatures of lawmakers, so that we can be seen to have done our job.
Rotimi Abiru, Chief Whip (Somolu 11)
I want to adopt what has been done without wasting much time. There have been some infractions on the part of the governor and the position of the law is clear.
Wahab Jimoh, Deputy Leader (Apapa 1)
I saw this coming like an ocean surge. The Attorney General wrote the House to withdraw the private member bills before the House. I had noticed that there would be crisis. The report I saw with the deputy speaker shows that the 2019 budget is being implemented.
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