Ambode: Civil societies task Lagos Speaker over N28bn running costs

A Coalition of some Civil Society groups in Lagos, Thursday called on the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly to account for the N28.4 billion allegedly budgeted for his office last year.

Addressing a press conference today, spokesperson of the groups, Adeola Samuel Ilori and Alex Omotehinse called on the House of Assembly to sheath its swords over the impeachment threat against the State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

While also calling on the Governor to lay the 2019 budget before the House, the activists noted that the delay by the Governor in presenting the budget could not amount to gross misconduct as construed by the constitution. Rather,it was merely an administrative lapse.

The issue of the delay in the presentation of the 2019 budget by the Governor has been the main thrust of the impeachment threat by the House of Assembly.

However, the activists said that they were not oblivious of allegations in certain quarters that the refusal of the Governor to pick the campaign bills of the House members, was the genesis of the crisis.

They however, noted that since such allegations were unsubstantiated, it was in the interest of the State that the issues be resolved amicably.
They therefore called on the Speaker, Hon. Obasa to also defend the allegations made a a group as published in the press that the Speaker allegedly spent N28.4 billion as running costs for his office in one year.