Exclusive Reports - Lagos lawmakers call for Governor Ambode’s impeachment

Reports say 28 out of the 34 members of the House of Assembly called for Ambode’s impeachment, while 6 others demanded for his resignation.
Members of the Lagos state House of Assembly have called for the impeachment of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

According to Premium Times, 28 out of the 34 members of the House of Assembly called for Ambode’s impeachment, while 6 others demanded for his resignation.
The lawmakers reportedly made the call following the Governor’s alleged refusal to present the 2019 budget before the House.

Punch also reports that Ambode sent the budget to the lawmakers in December 2018, instead of laying it before them by himself.

House Speaker reacts
The report states that the House Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa called for calm, saying the Governor needs to be given a fair hearing.
Obasa also gave Ambode seven days to appear before the House.
The Speaker said “The attorney general, finance commissioner and commissioner for budget and economic planning that 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 has yet to be approved was being spent, which was why we could not attend to the governor on the budget on Monday 21, January.

“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 governor.

“We can start gathering signatures for impeachment. We can wait till another time.”
The Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni had earlier raised an issue in the House alleging that the 2019 budget was already being implemented.

Premium Times reports that there has been mistrust between Governor Ambode and the lawmakers following his failure to secure the Lagos All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket.
Ambode lost to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the anointed candidate of the party, at the primaries in 2018.

Via Pulseng

EXCLUSIVE UPDATE: Ambode's Commissioner Dumps APC For PDP In Lagos State

The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources in Lagos State, Mr Olawale Oluwo, has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for opposition PDP.

NAIJANEWS learnt that Mr Oluwo made the announcement in a resignation letter  dated December 3 and addressed to the APC Chairman in the state, he explained that he took the decision as a result of the events played out at the party’s state primary held in October.

Fellow Lagosians, I’ve today resigned from the APC, and as Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Lagos State. I will be joining the PDP to work with @jimiagbaje in the struggle to #FreeLagos #freelagosnow#istandwithjimi #2019elections #lagosdecides #pdp #apc
12:12 - 5 Dec 2018

Oluwo alleged that the exercise was characterised by voter disenfranchisement, undue influence, violence, and intimidation to members among other activities that violate the electoral law.

He also claimed that the party lacked integrity, stressing that this has diminished the reputation of the state as a reference point for free and fair democratic practice.

The APC leadership in the state has yet to respond to Oluwo’s allegations.

UPDATE: Akinwunmi Ambode surrenders, then congratulates Sanwo-Olu on victory

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has conceded defeat to Babajide Sanwo-Olu and vowed to support the All Progressives Congress, APC, to emerge winner of next year’s governorship election in Lagos.

Ambode, in a broadcast on Wednesday, said the last few days had witnessed intense political activities that had gripped the attention of the nation and created palpable tension in the polity, saying he strongly believed that the time had now come for the State to move forward in order that the gains of the last three and half years are not lost.
“Dear Lagosians, APC is a great party and the interests of our beloved State must always supersede that of any person or group. It is in this regard that I wholeheartedly congratulate the winner of the Lagos State APC Primaries, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and urge all Lagosians to immediately support our party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 elections and work for the success of our dear party.

“As Governor, I will do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition in the remaining period of this administration and ultimately to the new Governor, come May 2019,” he said.
The governor, therefore appealed to all party members that “we remain one family and unite behind the candidate of the party, so that we can continue to move this state forward. The progress of Lagos state is non-negotiable. It is a project that I have passionately worked for in the last three and half years as your Governor and one to which I will forever be devoted.”

Ambode thanked the national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the leadership of the party at state and national levels, party faithful and all Lagosians.
“I thank all Lagosians for their faith and trust in me. I urge you not to relent in your support for our party as we prepare for the General Elections,” he said.

Pastor Adeboye, I never called Tinubu to beg for Ambode, I am not a Politician

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor E.A Adeboye has denied report published by one of the national dailies NOT VANGUARD, that he spoke with the leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Akinwumi Ambode’s second term bid.

Disclosing this through his tweeter handle, Adeboye averred that he has never been involved in any intra or inter party politics in Nigeria and would likely never be in future. In the purported report, the paper said that a source close to Tinubu, who chose to be anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, confirmed that there was a conversation between the APC leader and Pastor Adeboye on Ambode’s second term.

The paper said, “We authoritatively gathered that Pastor Adeboye’s intervention is one of the latest moves by Ambode to persuade Tinubu to support his second term bid just like he did in 2015.“It was learnt that the revered Christian leader had inquired through telephone conversation with Tinubu to know how the issue of the APC primary could be resolved.“But the former governor insisted on direct primaries in the interest of fairness and justice for those who had obtained the APC forms for governorship primary in the party.

“Although the telephone conversation, which had been converted into a text was silent on what Pastor Adeboye said, Tinubu was quoted to have maintained his posture that all contenders should go to the field and test their popularity before the people they want to govern.“The APC leader said he had been accused of imposition in the past and would not want tobe seen as imposing any aspirant on the people in line with what democracy entails. Tinubu in the text message which was going viral on twitter told Pastor Adeboye that: “Sir, people have been accusing me of imposition.“They say I imposed candidates at will.

That’s why I said all aspirants including the governor to get to the field and test their popularity among the people in an open contest of direct primaries.“Sir, my hands are tied on his matter, I cannot ask those who have picked the expression of interest and nomination forms to withdraw or not contest. That will be greatly unfair. We will ensure a level-playing ground for all the governorship aspirants including the incumbent governor…”

Reacting on the above statement Adeboye opined, “Our attention has been drawn to news making the rounds from dailies especially the New Telegraph Pastor E.A Adeboye, the General Overseer of the RCCG had a recent phone conversation with the Leader of the All Progressive Congress(APC).

“We would like to inform the general public that this is false and Pastor E.A Adeboye has not and would not be involved in inter /intra party politics in Nigeria and anywhere RCCG is present across the world. Pastor E.A Adeboye advices all well meaning Nigerians just like him to get their PVC’s and exercise their civic duty. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

2019: Vice Chairman of APC reveals what will happen if Ambode does not get party’s ticket

The vice-chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Central Senatorial District in Cross River, Cletus Obun, has insisted that the party will still win Lagos State, even if incumbent Akinwunmi Ambode does not get the ticket.

Obun claimed that only politician that matters in Lagos is the the APC’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who he hailed as “a master strategist”.“Lagos State and Ambode are not synonymous with APC. Indeed, on the contrary, APC is synonymous with progressive politics and what its leaders represent, which is personified in the person of Asiwaju Tinubu, who has continuously shown that he is a master strategist by his contributions.

“If Ambode does not get the ticket, APC will still win Lagos State.“The manifesto and its programmatic execution is what APC is all about. It is not about persons.“If Asiwaju now sees that there are three persons and they are qualified, clearly any of them that wins is going to execute the programmes and manifestos of the APC,” Obun told The Guardian.

Tinubu has reportedly dumped Ambode and picked Jide Sanyaolu Sanwonolu as his prefer red candidate for the next gubernatorial election.

GOVERNOR AMBODE - Water sector, critical to solving traffic congestion

Lagos state Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday expressed the commitment of his administration to provide critical infrastructure and enabling environment for investors to participate in the ongoing efforts to rev up water transportation, saying the sector remains critical to solving the traffic congestion affecting the State.

Speaking at a Roundtable on Water Transportation, organised by the State Government, the governor said though the sector had been left unattended to over the years, the Lagos state government was now committed more than before to fully harness the potentials of the water transportation to the benefit of the people and economic prosperity of the State.

He said the chaotic traffic situation in some parts of the state, in recent times and the pressure on the road with attendant danger to lives and property, ensued the need to forge ahead with the reforms in the water sector being championed by his administration even more compelling.

“The question to ask is what has brought us to this despicable situation so to speak where the only mode of transportation for over 22million people is road and the road itself is chaotic.
“In the last three years, we have been fighting traffic and unfortunately in the last two weeks, we have seen what has happened in Apapa and what we have been trying to do.

“Just about three weeks ago, we saw what happened with regards to the Otedola Bridge disaster and then the carnage, as well as the inability of government to provide for the needs of the people.

“So, among the over 22 million people, almost 8 million are walking on the streets every second and at the same time, 86 people enter into Lagos every one hour according to United Nations statistics for 2016 which is the largest in the world.

“So, if other states are failing, more people are going to be coming to Lagos and that means maybe right now, there are 120 people entering Lagos not wanting to go back and the only mode of transportation we have for them is just the road and that is why we are coming up with other modes

Lagos State Governor, We’re under siege; You can’t surrender Lagos to trucks and refuse

Gov Ambode, you used to be bothered. About traffic logjams, about commuters mugged in traffic snarls, about every nuisance. But not anymore . Trucks have occupied Lagos. And you don’t seem perturbed.

Mile 2 has been shut down for three days now. Apapa is occupied. The nuisance has spread towards Oshodi and spilled as far as Ikorodu road. Our roads have become truck parks. You used to be concerned. We had thought you would sort it out when you took on it with determination. But it appears you have abandoned us to the menace.
Your Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials   fold their hands and watch. They have joined us in our collective helplessness. And everyday the nuisance grows, their nonchalance increases, our helplessness deepens.
A few days ago I was trapped in the traffic mess . A LASTMA official waved and smiled at me. I waved back out of courtesy. People get retrenched from banks these days and find themselves in all kinds of jobs. I thought he was one of them. He approached with an elaborate smile of familiarity. I took down my window . He put his head into the car.
He didn’t call my name. For a split second I felt I had made a mistake. He could be a robber. I looked for   his name tag but my eyes couldn’t see anything. Fortunately , he wasn’t that kind of a wolf.  He wanted to know if I was in a hurry. I told him I was.
He offered to get into my car and pilot me, run against oncoming traffic , and get me out of the mess. I thanked him with a frown, and rejected his offer. He felt humiliated. He left and went back to his perch, to observe and isolate the desperate and prey on them.

Governor Ambode, you disorganized refuse collection. I understood your explanation. You wanted to harmonize it. But you didn’t have a well thought-out , feasible alternative. You left Lagos drowning in refuse for months. I noticed you were not as sensitive as you used to be. The heaps and piles were everywhere. Flies and rodents danced on the roads.

The government showed neither haste nor anger. I have lived many years in Lagos. I have seen trucks in Lagos. But I have never seen trucks take up whole roads in vast portions of the state for many months. I have never seen trucks constitute more nuisance at any other time than now. You have to do something drastic. You can’t surrender the center of excellence to trucks and refuse.

via vanguardngr

Former governor Fashola used to heap the blames for the Apapa mess on the PDP. It has since degenerated. The vice president once flew around Lagos . And hopes rose. It all seemed that a methodical assessment and a definitive solution had come at last. How have all that fizzled out and yielded anything?
Governor Ambode, have you noticed the influx of suicidal Okada riders into Lagos. A locust invasion would have been more bearable. You can’t let Lagos degenerate, my governor. You have done relatively well , you cant mess it up now. You have worked hard. It is painful that your performance is now being tarnished by trucks and refuse.
Governor Ambode, Lagosians are in anguish. You showed responsiveness in the past. You have to roll up your sleeves now and   take back the state. You have to sweep away these maniacal Okada riders. And you have to clean up the spillage of trucks into peoples homes and lives. The state is suffocating. The refuse mountains are coming down. But what is left is enough to trigger 100 epidemics every month.
Governor, the people trust you. You cant let them down. This misery is avoidable. Please, do not take Lagosians for granted .
Eko O ni Baje oooo