By Lanre Adesanya
The Lagos People’s Assembly (LPA) a Non Governmental Organization has besieged the Lagos State House of Assembly, demanding that they should not impeach Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as widely reported.
According to LPA, the House has commenced an impeachment process against the Governor,Akinwunmi Ambode on the allegations that he committed an infraction of the Constitution by not presenting the 2019 budget within Constitutionally stipulated period yet,the Governor has started disbursing part of the budget.
The group led by his convener Comrade Comrade Declan Ihkaire said a reliable investigation they conducted, revealed that,”both arms of government are worried that the budget delay would invariably affect the ability of the government to complete various infrastructural projects commenced by the administration littering the state.
“The fear is that opposition would make use of the uncompleted projects as Campaign items to disparage the ruling party in the forthcoming general elections.
LPA insist if the two tiers of government are determine to ensure that the welfare of the people is the supreme law of governance, then,it should be convenient to find a common ground to resolve any ensuing misunderstanding.
Noting that if this impasse is allowed to fester into a huge political conflagration,the state and residents would be the victims of such a conflict.
Detractors of both sides would not hesitate to gain maximum personal aggrandisement from the conflict
The situation according to LPA has potential to disrupt the state tradition of seamless transition of power and undermine it’s social and economic geometric pace of development.
We call on both the Governor and Assembly to shield their swords but rather concentrate on the dire need to complete all the ongoing infrastructural projects in the state.
The peace,sustainable development of Lagos and welfare of Lagosians should be the primary, sole and fundamental concern of both elected arms as well as officers of the state.
According to the Majority Leader Hon.Sanai Agunbiade, the protesters conducted themselves peacefully and deserve attention.
“You the right to look at what we are doing and offer your opinion about it,it is your opinion that you have come to tell us and I want to assure you that this Lagos Assembly will continue to do things that will favour everyone and the overall interest of the people.
“You may not understand what we are doing,you may correct,you may suggest, since democracy is the government of the people …
“We want to tell you that there is no crisis in Lagos,there is no trouble in Lagos, your letter that has been received will be delivered to the whole house for deliberation.
“Lagos is a state of excellence and we will not do anything that will impact negatively on its excellence status”. Said Agunbiade.
Comrade Declan Ihkaire noted that,there is no basis for wanting to impeach the Governor at this point in time, because he is still a loyal party man, so he deserves no impeachment.
We very close to the electioneering period,may the enemy’s spell never catch us,we don’t a situation where the opposition will capitalize and take over Lagos State.
We believe the synergy of Ambode,Sanwoolu and the Lagos Assembly will make a better Lagos, a division in the house will bring a break in the relationship.
If the ruling party want 100 percent they must stop this impeachment move, if you are scoring 60 percent before you should be advocating for 80 and nothing less.
“We just submitted a letter to the Lagos Assembly asking them to let Ambode be, just yesterday he donated branded buses and t-shirts to the Sanwoolu Campaign train,he also canvassed vote for him, so that oneness should not be scattered”. Said Declan.