Ambode fights back, drags Lagos Assembly to court over probe

Former Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has dragged the Lagos State House of Assembly to court over its ongoing probe of the ex-governor for allegedly procuring 820 buses worth over N7 billion without budgetary approval.

Ambode is due to appear before the House Committee probing the allegation on Wednesday. The House had placed adverts in some newspapers inviting the former governor to appear before it as he was alleged to have previously failed to appear on two occasions when he was invited.

However, the former Governor had instituted a suit against the Assembly at the Lagos High Court in Ikeja to contest the constitutionality of the probe of the buses which were procured by his administration.

Based on the suit, the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Tuesday ordered the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa to appear before it in connection with the ongoing probe of procurement of 820 buses by Ambode.

In an order dated 29th October, 2019 issued by Justice Y.A Adesanya after hearing a motion ex-parte moved by Ambode’s lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), ordered the Speaker to appear before the court at by 9am on Wednesday October 30.


Others to appear before the court are the Clark of the House, Mr A.A Sanni; Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee set up by the House to probe the procurement, Fatai Mojeed and members of the Committee. They are Gbolahan Yishawu, A.A Yusuff, Yinka Ogundimu, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, M.L Makinde, Kehinde Joseph, T.A Adewale and O.S Afinni.

Justice Adesanya ordered the originating processes and all the accompanying processes filed by the claimant (Ambode) to be served on the defendants and subsequently fixed Wednesday, October 30, 2019 for hearing of motion for interlocutory injunction.

According to his statement of claim before the court, Ambode said contrary to deliberate misrepresentation of facts by the lawmakers, the procurement of the 820 buses was well captured in the 2018 Appropriation Law which was duly approved by the House.

“In section 1 of the Bill, the 1st Defendant (House of Assembly) authorized the total Budget for the year 2018 to be One Trillion, Forty Six Billion, One Hundred and Twenty One Million, One Hundred and Eighty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Naira (N1,046,121,181,680.00) comprising the sum of Three Hundred and Forty Seven Billion, Thirty-Eighty Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Eight Thousand, Eight-Hundred and Seventy-Two Naira (N347,038,938,872.00) only and Six Hundred and Ninety-Nine Billion, Eighty-Two Million, Two Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Naira (N699,082,242,808.00) only as the Recurrent and Capital Expenditures respectively.

“Part of the items authorized by the Bill under Capital Expenditure was: “LAGBUS Public Transport Infrastructure (MEPB); Part financing of 820 buses” which was item 8 under schedule 1- Part C of the Bill,” he said.

He added that having prescribed the manner of withdrawal of funds in sections 3 and 4 of the 2018 Appropriation Law, it was unconstitutional for the House to attach another condition in section 9 of the law for further approval to be sought before incurring any expenditure on the purchase of the buses.

Highlighting the specific breach of his constitutional rights to fair hearing by the House, the former Governor said on August 27, 2019 during proceedings of the Assembly, some lawmakers thoroughly vilified and disparaged him as having purchased the buses without budgetary approval and that the procurement was a waste of public funds, while at the end of the proceedings, the House resolved to constitute an Ad Hoc Committee to probe the procurement.

He said it was surprising that the very lawmakers who contributed actively in vilifying, disparaging and denigrating him constituted the bulk of the members of the Committee, which was a clear derogation of his right to fair hearing.

Ambode added that in continuation of deliberate misrepresentation of facts of the issue, the House falsely claimed that an invitation had been extended to him to appear before the Committee but that he failed to honour the said invitation.

“On Thursday 10th October, 2019, the 4th and 5th Defendants (Mojeed and Yishawu) who are Chairman and member of the Committee respectively set up by the 1st Defendant pursuant to the provisions of section 129 of the Constitution again raised on the floor of the House an allegation that the Claimant (Ambode) was invited to appear before the Committee but that he failed to do so whereupon the 2nd Defendant (Speaker) ruled that a warrant of arrest would be issued against the Claimant if he refuses to appear before the Committee.

“The Claimant states that no letter of invitation was delivered to him before the 4th and 5th Defendants made the false allegation against the Claimant which was widely reported by various national Newspapers in the country.

“Further to the foregoing paragraphs, the 1st Defendant had also invited some of the former Commissioners who served under my government to appear before the 1st Defendant on Tuesday 15th October 2019. These included former Commissioners for Energy, Agriculture and Economic Planning and Budget respectively among others.

“After the proceedings of the Committee on 15th October 2019, the 1st Defendant represented to the public that the former Commissioners that appeared before it had indicted me in their testimonies. The information was widely published by National newspapers on Wednesday 16th October 2019.

“Contrary to the information made to the public by the 1st Defendant, the said former Commissioners for Energy and Economic Planning and Budget who were represented by the 1st Defendant to have indicted me, made public statements on Thursday 17th October 2019 denying that they ever indicted me in their testimonies before the Committee. The denials were widely published by online newspapers on Thursday 17th October 2019 and national newspapers on Friday 18th October 2019.

“The 1st Defendant falsely represented to the public that the said Commissioners indicted me in their testimonies before the Committee so as to justify my indictment by the 1st Defendant which indictment members of the 1st Defendant had hitherto threatened to carry out,” Ambode averred.

He added that the House Committee and indeed the entire members of the House had already adjudged him as having committed wastage of public fund by the procurement of the buses in question and had also already determined that the procurement was done by him as opposed to the State Government.

He said it was obvious that the lawmakers were totally biased against him having regard to their pronouncements on the floor of the House by reason of which he believes that his right to fair hearing as guaranteed by the Constitution had been seriously compromised by the defendants.

He is, therefore, seeking among others, the court’s declaration that the power of the House to pass a resolution under section 128(1) of the Constitution to cause an inquiry into his conduct as Governor is subject to right to fair hearing as guaranteed by section 36(1) of the Constitution.

He also wants a declaration that the Resolution of the House setting up a 9-Man Committee comprising of the 4th-12th Defendants to investigate all transactions in respect of the 820 Buses said by the defendants to have been procured by him derogates from his right as guaranteed by section 36(1) of the Constitution and therefore is unconstitutional, null and void.

Other claims are: “A DECLARATION that having regard to the provisions of sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Appropriation Law of Lagos State 2018, sections 8 and 9 of the Law which required the approval of the House of Assembly of Lagos State before certain expenditure of money is incurred by the Executive Branch of the State is not in accord with any provision of the Constitution and accordingly is unconstitutional, null and void.

“A DECLARATION that it is not lawful for the Defendants to represent or continue to represent to the Public that the Claimant, AKINWUNMI AMBODE, procured 820 buses in breach of budgetary approval.

“A DECLARATION that the powers of the 1st Defendant under sections 103, 128 and 129 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended does not include power to indict the Claimant as contemplated by sections 66(1)(h), 137(1)i and 182(1)i of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

“AN INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents and or representatives from compelling the Claimant, in any manner whatsoever, to appear before the Defendants pursuant to the Resolution passed by the Defendants on 27th August 2019 or any other Resolution passed in respect of the subject matter of this Suit.

“AN INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents and or representatives from representing or continue to represent to the Public that the Claimant, AKINWUNMI AMBODE, procured 820 buses in breach of budgetary approval.”

Source: https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/10/29/breaking-ambode-fights-back-drags-lagos-assembly-to-court-over-probe/

Okay now

He has done well. Let Óbasa go and explain how the budget that had the purchase of the 820 buses clearly stated was approved by the house and the house is suddenly claiming they never approved the purchase of the buses.

They should stop wasting time on frivolous issues. They should start holding the current governor accountable

As a politician, you have to make sure everything is recorded.. From meetings,to phone calls,to announcements.every damn thing. In this game, you can never be to careful..

Ambode

Ambode the kid politician.

H.mm

We will be waiting patiently to see how this war go.

We stand with Ambode.

He did a good job in Lagos state to most extent for the 4 years he was the governor.
He may have his shortcoming, but his good works are still there for all to see.

God bless Lagos state.

God bless Nigeria

Too late

Why can't these guys leave Ambode alone? They succeeded in removing from office. Now they are working so hard to tarnish his image and legacy. Why?

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SpecialAdviser:
Ambode the kid politician.

Senior politician , we hail o

You don’t mean it !!!!!!

Why

Every politician in Nigeria is a Yahoo Yahoo scammer ni politicians wa ambode tried tho but I no chop out of the big harvested yam all these billions on top small projects, don't we think this country is finished already

SpecialAdviser:
Ambode the kid politician.

Was Fashola a kid politician when the Jagbajantis of Bourdillon bullion vans was harassing his life?
The more things change the more they remain the same.

Hardtalk:
There’s No Stopping Fashola’s Probe —Keyamo
April 16, 2010 15:02, 1,040 views
By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Lagos lawyer and counsel to the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Festus Keyamo says nothing would stop the House from probing allegations of financial misappropriation against Governor Babatunde Fashola.

He called on the governor to submit himself to probe in order to clear himself, saying there was no hiding through court injunction to dodge the probe against him.

The State House of Assembly had yesterday set up a fresh 7-member committee to probe allegations against the governor by the True Face of Lagos, which staged a protest to the House recently to demand probe of the governor.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS this morning, Keyamo said that the governor should be probed, adding that the accolades the governor received in the media should not divert attention from the real thing.

“Every public officer has a duty to give account of stewardship no matter the height of praise singing he receives from the press. The office you are occupying is not your father’s property but the public.

“Probe is not the same thing as verdict of guilt, but an opportunity for one to clear himself. If Fashola believes his hands are clean, now is the opportunity for him to shine,” he stated.

According to him, “Fashola should take the path of honour and clear himself of the allegations. He can’t continue to hide under court injunction.

“If you say you plant grass and flower, come and tell the people how much you spent in planting them, tell them how you spent their money because it is not your father’s money.

“The House must go ahead with the probe because it is their constitutional and moral duty to do what they want to do. They have now properly published the allegations in their official journal.”

Comrade Bamidele Aturu, who was counsel to Mr. Richard Akinola, the man who first went to court to stop the House from probing the governor, said “we will assess our legal option and deal with the issue.”

Aturu stated that if the House erred in setting up the new committee, it would be challenged in the court, saying that “we are for democracy and probity.”

Also, Majority Leader, Lagos Assembly, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo said the House had already published the allegations in the Assembly’s journal, saying that the House would go ahead with the probe.


http://thepmnews.com/2010/04/16/there%E2%80%99s-no-stopping-fashola%E2%80%99s-probe-%E2%80%94keyamo

www.nairaland.com/attachments/2761086_thief_jpegfa5a8983f640aa30ef083e7a4f98b900

Ambode should have done this from the onset so as to set the record straight but chose to act now when his reputation and future is at stake

They should all destroy themselves. We don't care.

Good

AryaSand:
They should all destroy themselves. We don't care.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/2227068_image_jpeg9f360c5ab7736510df54c882e9dbf188

The same Ambode that disobeyed Court Judgment.

Kama

Kudos to Ambode at least he is fighting back.

Lagos house of asembly, leave GOV. Ambo alone oo. Sinful honourables of lagos asembly. Overated state of sin.

Ambode for LAGOS 2023

This country has lost it. Hope this our greedy politicians will stop making mockery of our judiciary and democracy. Just imagine going to court over probe which you can just appear and prove yourself not guilty of the allegations!! Ambode got this wrong by spending on what was not budgeted for which is against our constitution !!

Conceptman:
Every politician in Nigeria is a Yahoo Yahoo scammer ni politicians wa

Are they different from the yahoo yahoo citizens who allow them rule ruin our council areas, LGAs, states and country?
What did you say again, please?


www.nairaland.com/attachments/9951256_nigeriapoliticiansandthemasses156163128506959470576_jpeg2519ae8c9d88b19896a675b7b631a75c

Na so

anonimi:


Are they different from the yahoo yahoo citizens who allow them rule ruin our council areas, LGAs, states and country?
What did you say again, please?


www.nairaland.com/attachments/9951256_nigeriapoliticiansandthemasses156163128506959470576_jpeg2519ae8c9d88b19896a675b7b631a75c

Instead of them to deploy all the 820 buses and dash the existing buses to other states, they are busy fighting.

This people are truly the enemy of the people.

Buhari sef

Dis case go last for another 10yrs