Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
The 2023 governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and six others have asked the state’s House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu “for abuse of office and misappropriation of state resources.”
In a letter dated December 14, 2023, Rhodes-Vivour, Prince Sheriff Adegbite Dosunmu (Executive Director of Our Lagos); Debo Daniel of Youth Initiatives for Good Governance (YIGG), Shina Ogunjimi of Save Democracy Group, Zainab Akorede of Integrity Alliance Network, Lasisi Idris of Organized Movement for Change and Jamiu Lanre Adebayo of Future Leaders Against Corruption (FLAC), said that their concerns revolve around alleged payment of N200 million to cover the personal legal fees of the governor and the provision of furniture for party secretariat.
They noted that considering the weight of the allegations, the state assembly needs to act.
“It is now public knowledge that there are credible allegations of abuse of office and gross misappropriation of state resources, which, in our view, warrant immediate attention and action by the Lagos State House of Assembly,” they said in the letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa.
“The allegations, supported by documented evidence, in the Lagos State Public Procurement Authority website (www.lagesppa.gov.ng), point to a disturbing pattern of behaviour by the Governor that raises significant doubts about his commitment to accountability, and responsible governance. As concemed citizens of Lagos State, we believe it is our collective duty to ensure that our elected officials adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct and governance.
“Specifically, our concems revolve around the alleged payment of N200 million to cover the personal legal fees of the Governor (lagosppa.gov.ng January Award 2023-item 16-191), the provision of furniture for party secretariat (lagosppa.gov.ng June Award 2023 Item 52). These actions, if proven true, represent a grave violation of the trust placed in the governor by the people of Lagos State and constitute grounds for impeachment.
“Considering the seriousness of these allegations and immunity the governors office provides him, You and the state assembly are the only hope of the people of Lagos to safeguard against the looting of our common wealth. Therefore, we humbly request that the Lagos State House of Assembly initiates impeachment proceedings against Governor Sanwolu. It is crucial for our democratic institutions particularly the hallowed chambers which you preside over, to demonstrate their commitment to accountability and the rule of law.
“We understand that such proceedings require careful consideration and due process. However, given the urgency of the matter and the potential impact on the welfare of Lagos State residents, we implore you to priontize this issue and conduct a thorough and impartial investigation
“We trust that the Lagos State House of Assembly, under your esteemed leadership, will uphold its constitutional duty to safeguard the interests and well-being of the people. Your commitment to justice and accountability will undoubtedly will not only renew hope in the hearts of lagosians, It will also contribute to the continued growth and prosperity of Lagos State,” the letter added.
Recall that Rhodes-Vivour had in a document shared on his verified X handle @GRVlagos in November alleged that the state government paid four law firms N50 million each to defend Sanwo-Olu’s election victory.