Femi Durojaiye
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday invalidated the impeachment of the former deputy governor of the state, Mr. Femi Pedro, following his remorsefulness and party loyalty.
This resolution followed the adoption of the recommendation of the eight member Ad Hoc Committee constituted on July 2, to review the circumstances that led to impeachment of Pedro.
The assembly, which passed a vote of confidence on Pedro, said the allegations of his impeachment were not connected to criminal charges.
The committee, headed by the Majority Leader, Mr. Sanai Agunbiade, in its report said: “In line with Rule 51 (6) of the Business, Rules and Standing Orders of the Lagos State House of Assembly, the committee recommends that this House should by a substantive motion review the impeachment passed on Pedro on Thursday, May 10, 2007 by the fifth assembly.
“Pardon him and pass a vote of confidence on him as a fit and proper person that can be entrusted with political and administrative responsibilities,” Agunbiade said.
About 36 members of the assembly were in support of the pardon while only one lawmaker voted against and another abstained.
Pedro was impeached towards the end the tenure of Bola Tinubu as governor for gross misconducts on May 10, 2007.
The ex-deputy governor had urged the assembly to revisit his impeachment in a letter sent to the eighth assembly on a compassionate manner.
In his contribution, Rotimi Olowo, the Chairman House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, urged the assembly to reverse the impeachment of the ex-deputy governor in order for him to live a normal life.
Olowo said Pedro has shown a remorse and needed to be forgiven.
He said: “To err is human, to forgive is Divine. Pedro has shown much remorse and obedience, let’s pardon him to have his sanity back.
“Pedro has passed through much psychological trauma.”
He said the purpose of the impeachment then was not based on fraud or criminal tendencies.
Hon. Segun Olulade, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, commended the ad hoc committee for the recommendation for reverting the impeachment.
Olulade also commended Pedro for withdrawing court cases challenging his removal to allow the assembly wade into the matter.
The assembly also yesterday passed into law the N662.588billion 2016 Appropriation Bill presented by the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on December 17, 2015.
The Appropriation Bill, tagged: ‘The Peoples Budget,’ is the highest in the history of the state and it was an improvement on the N489.69bn appropriated for year 2014 and 2015 respectively.
The assembly unanimously approved the budget after members deliberated on the report of House Committee on Budget which scrutinised the bill as proposed by the governor.
The report was presented by Chairman of the House Committee on Budget, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, on behalf of members of the committee.
Speaker of the assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, in his response, commended members of the committee for expeditiously working on the budget to ensure its passage before the new fiscal year.
Obasa recalled that members of the committee worked even on holidays, adding that they had indeed shown their love for the people of the state.
Ambode had, while presenting the budget put the recurrent expenditure at N278,909billion while capital expenditure stood at N383,678billion, explaining that the capital to recurrent ratio is 58:42 as against 51:49 in 2014 and 2015.
The governor also put the total revenue estimate for 2016 fiscal year at N542.873billion saying the balance of N119.714billion would be funded through deficit financing constituting 0.41 per cent of the state GDP based on 2016 budget alone and a cumulative debt to GDP ratio of about three per cent.
In a related development, the assembly also passed the N25billion employment trust fund bill forwarded to the House by the governor into law.
While considering the report of a joint committee set up by the House, the members scrutinised the findings and recommendations of the committee with minor amendment.
The speaker, in his remarks, praised the governor for the initiative to engage unemployed teeming youths roaming the street in a veritable venture that would bring out their potentials, empower and even foster the economy of the state.
He said the economy of the state would further thrive through improved entrepreneurship, trading commerce and improved economic activities which the trust fund aimed to achieve.
Earlier, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon Oluyinka Ogundimu, representing Agege II in his Submission while presenting the report to members, said the essence of the bill when fully operational would serve as a panacea to tackling the unemployment scourge confronting the nation.
The lawmaker representing Lagos Island II Hon. Sola Giwa, said the bill also seeks to raise money from the private and public contribution for the financial support to residents in the State, including jobs and wealth creation thereby solving all problem of unemployment in the State and giving equal opportunities to all citizens.

www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lagos-assembly-invalidates-pedros-impeachment/229242/

?