The Legislative Probity and Accountability, LPA, has asked the Lagos State House of Assembly to account for the N28.8 billion it collected as running cost under Speaker Mudashiru Obasa’s leadership.
The civil society organisation, CSO, maintained that if the House fails to account for the fund, it would mobilise Nigerians and compel the Assembly to do the needful.
In a statement issued by its Chairman, Olu Fajana on Tuesay, January 29, 2019, the group noted that it had watched with keen interest latest moves by the Assembly to impeach Governor Akinwunmi Ambode over alleged misconduct and infractions in the state’s 2018 budget and the proposed 2019 appropriation bill.
“While we will refrain from dabbling into the politics of this misadventure, we demand that the Lagos lawmakers should come to equity with clean hands.
“It is not our duty to ask the lawmakers not to probe Ambode if he has committed any infractions, but Obasa has been collecting N9.6 billion each year and has so far pocketed N28.8 billion as running cost.
“Of the amount, members have been paid only N2.4 billion in three years. Where did the remaining over N26.4 billion go? The House should answer this question and account for the funds before going ahead with Ambode’s impeachment agenda.
“It is alarming that the House collects N800 million monthly as running cost, out of which each of the 40 members collects N2 million. This amounts to N9.6 billion annually and in three years, the House has taken N28.8 billion,” the statement reads.
The group also stated that it was obvious that the whole essence of locking Ambode from presenting the 2019 budget proposal since last year is to cripple his government and make him vulnerable.
“It is worrisome that the state legislature has abdicated its responsibility and is now busy seeking grounds to impeach the governor four months to the end of his tenure.
“In this regard, we note the frantic attempts by the governor’s adversaries to accuse him of funding the campaign of opposition governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, having failed to find any evidence that he sponsored the thugs that disrupted All Progressives Congress, APC’s governorship campaign rally a few weeks ago.”
