Date Published: 02/02/10
Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL)
The Humanity Centre: 610, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ijaye Bus stop, Ijaye-Ojokoro.
P.O. Box 1592, Agege, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: 01-4736534, 08023226276, 08037194969
www.thehumanitycentre.org E-mail: cacolc@yahoo.com, dadnig@yahoo.com
Name, Nail, Shame and Shun Corrupt Leaders Anywhere, Everywhere
ALLEGATION OF MEGA CORRUPTION AGAINST TINUBU, EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATURE OF LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT: A CALL FOR ACTION
The alleged ‘Mega Corruption’ of 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 mega corruption, so called, in the wake of the seeming laudable programmes of the government but the shrewd 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 reinforced the urgent need for accountability in governance. 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 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 waited patiently for official rebuttal of the allegation to be published by either of the alleged arms of the government with no result. Neither did the former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu denied the allegation that he bribed each member of the House of Assembly for them to sweep the matter under the carpet. It is a popular belief that any allegation not denied within 48 hours has some elements of truth in it, as a matter of fact; such is taken as true in some climes.
While we earnestly hope that the Lagos State House of Assembly, whose hallowed name has been stained by this allegation, would defend itself beyond the rhetoric of “we didn’t do it”, but tell the world what exactly they did. What they did should include 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. The House of Assembly should also live up to its responsibility by carrying out the investigation it is reported to have begun on all issues involved without fear or favour. We would want 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, 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 shall request that the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) which is saddled with the responsibility of investigating graft in all its shades and colours to step in and equally investigate the serious issues raised in the allegation. This is with a view to ensuring transparency in the process and minimizing any possibility of treating the issues as a “family affair” in the long run. Noteworthy of mention is the “hand of Esau” mentioned in the allegation that could have bribed the House and the media to “kill” the sleaze. Could the former governor of the state Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu truly be the “Esau”? The public surely is interested in knowing.
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 to poverty and squalour.
Debo Adeniran
Executive Chairman, CACOL
08037194969
dadnig@yahoo.com
www.deboadeniran.blogspot.com
Monday, 1 st February, 2010
Being the text of Press Conference addressed by the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) at its Secretariat, Ijaye-Ojokoro, Lagos on Monday, 1 st of February, 2010 by 10.00am
Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL)
The Humanity Centre: 610, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ijaye Bus stop, Ijaye-Ojokoro.
P.O. Box 1592, Agege, Lagos , Nigeria . Tel: 01-4736534, 08023226276, 08037194969
www.thehumanitycentre.org E-mail: cacolc@yahoo.com, dadnig@yahoo.com
Name, Nail, Shame and Shun Corrupt Leaders Anywhere, Everywhere
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