The Lagos State House of Assembly may have ‘chickened out’ of the plan to impeach Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, following public outcry and condemnation of the move by Nigerians.
The decision to jettison the planned impeachment was as a result of pressures from the Presidency, majority of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, especially in Lagos and the intervention of some Southwest governors, who expressed concern over the timing of the impeachment and its possible consequences.
As at yesterday, more are still condemning the move, even among the opposition parties who described the lawmakers’ action as not only ridiculous to democracy, but also servitude to their master and National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu. In a reaction, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje decried the ruling party and its lawmakers over the threat, saying the action has justified his claim that Lagos deserves freedom, as it has been under the armpit of one individual (Tinubu) in the last 20 years.
He also flayed the ruling party’s leadership over allegation and fear that Ambode is funding him (Agbaje) to the detriment of APC in the coming governorship election.
“There is no iota of truth that I am being funded by the incumbent, but a mere expression of fear of possible defeat by APC ahead of the election,” he said.In another reaction, governorship candidate of Abundant Renewal Party (ANRP), Abiodun Dabiri said mere mention of the move to impeach Ambode few weeks to the election shows the ruling party is neither serious nor concerned about Lagos or its citizens, but their self-serving purposes and the inordinate ambition of their lord and master, Tinubu.
He dared the party and its lawmakers to go ahead with the impeachment and see the consequences in the next election.Similarly, Secretary General Yoruba Ronu, Akin Malaolu decried the lawmakers, saying the move is one threat too many and also an insult to the people of Lagos.
However, a reliable source in the party told The Guardian, yesterday, that the Presidency had directed the issue should be amicably resolved. The Presidency’s disposition was said to have handicapped the lawmakers as well as Tinubu, who will allegedly have a meeting with Ambode on how to handle the matter.
Another factor that might have forced the Assembly to drop the issue was the kind of unprecedented sympathy expressed to the incumbent after the marathon race in Lagos, yesterday, where he was said to have been commended and also appreciated by millions of participants, among other Lagosians.
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