By Gift Osaze
It is no longer news that Akinwumi Ambode, governor of Lagos state , described in political circles, as the most powerless among state Chief Executives may leave office on May 29, 2019, without his entitlements as a former governor. This is because of the plot by Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of the state and national leader of the ruling All progress Congress, APC, popular , Jagaban, and Idowu Obasa, the House Speake to mobilise the Assembly members to impeach.
The House my have found a reason to impeach him over the 2019 budget which has not been present uptill now, fuelling speculations that budget may have been spent by him. He was said to have sent the budget to the House last December against the tradition of laying before the House as governor. Obasa, the House Speaker and an ally of Tinubu, who are just waiting for order from the godfather to give the order for the impechment process to begin had confirmed that ”there have been violations of the Constitution and infraction on the part of the governor which are impeachable offences.
Although the House , it was confirmed has summoned the governor to appear before it within one week over the yet to be presented budget. Obasa, may have created in the mind of the people that that the budget that was yet to be approved by the lawmakers has been spent, which informed the reason why they have refused to attend to him. He maintained that there must be something before the House before the governor could commence expenditure. The House, which may be acting out the script of Tinubu, to teach Ambode , one bitter lesson in politics, may not be in hurry to impeach as the Spear had cautioned that he must be given fair hearing to explain himself out. The Value News gathered hat the House have gathered enough signature that could impeach him with ease. It is obvious that if he is impeached without presenting the 2019 budget, he would lose all his entitlements, thus becoming the first governor in the state to be so treated.
Tinubu may have influenced Mudashiru Obasa, the House Speaker, into agreeing to impeach him for daring to complain about his financial demands to his hearing. The Value News learnt that the former governor had visited one of the first class Chiefs in the state and sought to find out whether Ambode, the state governor has been attending to their financial needs as was the practice during his tenure to which he said no.
Angered by the answer, the Tinubu, the godfather of southwest politics , was said to have called on the governor immediately to find out the reason why he is not giving out money to the state paramount rulers for their monthly upkeep. The governor was said to have complained aloud about the former governor repeated financial demands on the government as if he is the only one in the state.
Unknown to him, he did not know that his phone was not on the silent as all his protests in his office filterd to Tinubu who had allegedly put his phone on speaker for those around him to hear the complaints of the governor. This may have informed the reason why he insists he must go and quickly started shopping for a replacement.
Last Septmber, at a meeting of the governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, Jagaban, was said to have told Ambode that is not going for a second term. He was said to have asked him to step down for his favorite Candidate, Jide Samwo -Olu, then General Manager of Lagos state Property Development Corporation, LSPDC. Ambode may have thought it was a joking matter when he looked at his godfather straight on the face to challege his decision.
In apparent anger, the APC, national leader has threatened to mobilise the Assembly members to impeach for daring to challenge him. A source told The Value News that it was the beginning of the frosty relationship between the duo as Tinubu withdrew his support from him.
It was learnt that Ambode did everything within his powers to beg him including sending emissaries but that was how far he could go. moreso, the AlphaBeta Consulting firm allegedly owned by the former governor which collects a certain percentage of the revenue earned by the state which became a public knowledge may have been linked to him by the Tinubu Camp.
Jimi Abaje, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial Candidate in the state, may have used as a Campaign issue as he has threatened to terminate the contract if elected the governor of the state in the March 2, 2019 election. He knew Ambode will not do it despite the calls on him by several groups individuals to terminate the contract and free Lagos from the strong hold of Tinubu.
The resignation of Oluwo Olawale, his Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources to join Agbaje , the PDP, Candidate Campaign may have given credence to the news making the rounds that Ambode his Commissioners may be woking for him to defeat the APC Candidate. The shootout at Oshodi, where the governor had mounted the rostrum to Campaign for Sanwo-Olu, on the orders of Tinubu, who could not attend the rally because of national engagement was a warning to him to watch his steps. The planned impeachment of the Ambode may have polarised the state, as those who believe that it was political vitimisation by Tinubu for daring him.
Recall Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state has made a mockery of Lagos state as a state where the views of the governor does not matter if it clashes with that of Tinubu, the alleged god father. Wike believes that it is only in the south west where godfatherism in politics in still very strong. It was not very surprising why he frustrated Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of the state and now minister of Transportation , attempts to play Tinubu type of politics in the oil rich Rivers state.
