The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders
(CACOL) read with surprise and
apprehension the advertorial placed on
pages 44 and 45 of The PUNCH
newspaper of Thursday, January 28 2010
under the title: The True Face of
Lagos (A copy of the advert and text
of the content is herewith attached
for your quick reference). The
publication, which was designated as
“Part I” contained several allegations
bordering on what its signatories,
namely: Kasali Martins and Dr Tunde
George described as “some of
the expenditures which the government
claimed to have incurred on behalf of
‘Lagosians’ and which we feel were
mere avenues to corruptly enrich some
privileged individuals in and out of
government and to which the state
House of Assembly under the tutelage
of ‘governor emeritus’ otherwise known
as the Lion of Bourdillon has become
an accomplice covering up a lot of
misdeeds on the part of the
executive”.
The duo alleged that the Lagos state
government embarked on frivolous
spending on white-elephant projects,
unnecessary and excessive donations,
lack of due process in budget
implementation, illegal deduction and
diversion of statutorily allocated
funds and properties as well as
inflation of costs of already awarded
contracts. Other allegations border on
opening of illegal accounts,
indiscriminate borrowing, and creation
of illegal government departments and
sidelining Ministries, Departments and
Agencies when contracts affecting them
are executed, among others.
Although the alleged ‘Mega Corruption’
involving the government of Babatunde
Raji Fashola SAN in Lagos State is
already in the public domain. The
World Wide Web is awashed with it.
Print media
have published it. It is lately the main
topic in drinking bars and in market
places, but the veracity of the issues
raised in the widely published
allegation is yet to be ascertained.
It is possible to rapidly refuse to
countenance the allegation as mere
political gambit by rivals in the
Lagos
political turf, especially in the wake
of the seeming laudable programmes of
the government. But the perceptive and
discerning mind would think differently.
A point of serious consideration is the
fact that about 65% of the fund involved
in the alleged “financial recklessness,
mismanagement, gross constitutional
violation and abuse of office” is from
the people‘s tax. This fact reinforces
the urgent need for accountability in
governance even when the public shower
so much accolades on the political
leader of that government in the course
of the performance of his own side of
the social contract he enters with the
people by his election. No matter how
laudable projects executed on behalf of
the people is, its execution must be
transparent and its costs must be
appropriately accounted for. Whatever
work done must be proportional to the
amount of resources committed into it!
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL)
as a group of organizations with the
objective of fighting corruption and
corrupt persons at all levels has
hitherto held the Lagos state in high
esteem and would not want, or encourage
anyone to jump into any conclusion on
any allegation without availing those
alleged the opportunity to defend
themselves. We therefore have not
concluded that the alleged are either
guilty or innocent. However we have
reasons to believe that the matter is in
the verge of being swept under the
carpet going by various political
maneuverings noticeable among the ruling
elite in the state and their political
overlords and associated.
While we earnestly hope that the Lagos
State House of Assembly, whose hallowed
name has been stained by this
allegation, would defend itself beyond
any reasonable doubt that it is not in
conspiracy with the executive arm of the
government against the people by
condoning financial recklessness, they
should tell the world what exactly they
did do. Different members need to tell
us what was passed in the Appropriation
Bill as yearly Budget, what oversight
functions were carried out to ensure
that the Executive did not execute any
project or spend any money outside what
was budgeted for and whether or not
those who defended the budgets were
involved in the execution of the budgets
as well as what happened to all unspent
budgets.
We are delighted to inform you that the
Lagos State House of Assembly is making
effort to live up to its responsibility
by carrying out the investigation it is
reported to have begun on all issues
involved. We encourage the House to go
all the way to do this without leaving
any stone unturned and without fear or
favour. We have asked the Assembly to
invite all persons and institutions
mentioned in the publication for
questioning on what roles they play or
did not play in the area they are
alleged to have soiled their hands.
Everybody, no matter how high, mighty,
powerful, influential or crafty must be
given the opportunity to defend himself
or herself openly and if found culpable,
be brought to justice in an unbiased
manner.
Nonetheless, we hereby request the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) to step in and equally
investigate the serious issues raised in
the allegation. This is in view of the
legal and constitutional implication of
the allegations, and for the fact that
at least two arms of the Government of
Lagos State are involved. We are
compelled to do this because your
agency, by the Act that establishes it,
is conferred with the powers and
responsibility of investigating graft in
all its ramifications, shades and
colours. This is with a view to ensuring
transparency in the investigation
process and minimizing any possibility
of treating the issues as a “family
affair” in the long run.
It is our belief that the synergy
between the House and EFCC will go along
way in either vindicating the amiable
Governor Babatunde Fashola and his
government or nailing a bunch of crooks
in high places who will desire to
subject the poor people of
Lagos
State to more poverty and squalour. If
however anyone is found culpable in your
findings, we urge you to waste no time
in prosecuting such and ensuring that he
or she gets maximum punishment available
for such crimes so as to serve as
deterrent to others. We thank you in
anticipation of your prompt and
favourable response and action on this
request.
Yours
faithfully,
Debo Adeniran
Executive Chairman, CACOL
08037194969
dadnig@yahoo.com
www.deboadeniran.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 |
