…Gov may present budget today, USOSA calls for truce

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Esther Onyegbula

LAGOS—NATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday, intervened in the feud between Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State and the legislature which has snowballed into impeachment threats.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

Consequently, indications emerged that members of the Lagos State House of Assembly may jettison the plan to impeach Ambode as they reconvene sitting today.

This was the outcome of a peace parley yesterday in Lagos, which was attended by Tinubu, members of Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC; governorship candidate of APC in the state, Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu; Lagos Central Senatorial Leader, Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Governor Ambode, his deputy, Idiat Adebule; Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, his deputy, Wasiu Esinlokun; Majority Leader, Sinai Agunbiade; Chief Whip, Rotimi Abiru and running mate to Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Femi Hamzat among others.

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Speaking at the end of the meeting, Tinubu, said: “We held a meeting on behalf of Lagosians. In the last week or so, there has been some talk about a conflict between the executive and the legislature in Lagos. This is of great concern to us. We looked at the source of the conflict, which is normal in a democracy, and that is why there are also conflict-resolution mechanisms.

“We examined the grievances on both sides. As leaders, we also looked into areas where there has to be compromise. In order to build institutions and encourage consensus-building, we have to do what is right.

“There is no impeachment. Let there be more communication and consensus-building and understanding. All these are inbuilt in the democratic system.

“We thank the Speaker and the leadership of the House. We thank the governor and the deputy governor. They have all demonstrated respect for the party leadership in Lagos. You know when Lagos sneezes, other areas catch cold. We are happy that we are able to resolve the conflict and things will start moving well going forward.”

Also speaking, Olusi said: “The APC leader has spoken. This is just to further confirm the decisions that we reached. Conflict is an institutional part of the governance. The executive and legislature must work together.

“We have reached a decision that they must work together amicably. And very soon, the Legislature and the executive must resolve the grey areas in their relationship.”

USOSA leadership calls for truce

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Unity Schools Old Students Association, USOSA, the umbrella body of all alumni associations of all 104 Federal Unity Schools, has called for peaceful resolution of the contentious issues.

The President General of the association, Mr. Lawrence Wilbert, noted that with the socio-economic credentials of the state, threats to impeach the governor may lead to unnecessary chaos, which could weaken the state’s socio-economic competitiveness.

He noted, “Lagos is Africa’s fifth largest economy contributing  about 90 percent of the country’s trade flows and about 65 percent of manufacturing activities in Nigeria. In Q4 2017, it received about half of Nigeria’s capital importation. Lagos is Nigeria’s most attractive city of opportunities, with the constant growth in population.

These are credentials that make a peaceful relationship between the different arms of government, absolutely imperative, to consolidate on the infrastructure development the state has continued to maintain.”

The lawmakers had threatened to impeach the governor for allegedly spending unbudgeted funds in the 2019 appropriation bill.