The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been asked to probe the administrations of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, as governors of Lagos state.
Asiwaju Tinubu was governor of the state between 1999 to 2007 while Fashola also governed the state between 2007 to 2015.
The petitioner, Coalition Against Corruption and Impunity in the petition to the commission and signed by John Olufemi and Mohammed Sanni, Co-ordinator and Secretary, respectively, asked the anti-graft agency to look into the activities of the two former governors between 1999 to 2015 when they governed the state.
The petition, dated July 24, 2020, was copied to the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
According to the organisation, over the years, the law enforcement agencies seemed uninterested and unwilling to probe the many allegations of infractions allegedly committed in Lagos under Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola as governors.
The coalition asked the anticorruption agency to undertake a holistic investigation of the two former governors especially in the areas of land administration, tax collections and other areas.
Parts of allegations the coalition is asking the commission to look into are the development of 1,000 hectares of land for golf course and housing estate by Asset and Resource Management Limited at N75billion located at Lakowe near Ibeju Lekki Government given to Lekki Concession Company (LCC).
Another area is alleged operation of eight foreign bank accounts allegedly by Tinubu while in office as Executive Governor of Lagos State in contravention of Section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap 56 LFN, 1990.
Details of the account numbers (withheld) were outlined in the petition for the attention of the anti graft agency .
Other allegations the coalition is asking the commission to probe are the 250 hectares of land valued at N35billion strategically located at Ajah Junction on Lekki Road originally meant for the construction of General Hospital for Eti-Osa Local Government, handed over to Trojan Estate Limited; transferring of the annex of Lagos State Guest House in Asokoro Abuja, purchased by the Lagos State Government in 2006 for N450 million to protect the main building from security breach and a 14-hectare Parkview Ikoyi estate foreshore land reclaimed by Lagos State Government.
The commission was also asked to probe the Payment of 70 percent up front to contractor cronies for awarded contract yet to be executed in contravention of section 120 (4) of the 1999 constitution.
The coalition said, ”It is in this light that we write to request that you use your good offices to allow for thorough and detailed investigations into the activities of the Lagos State Government, especially between the period 1999 to 2015. As citizens we are alarmed by mind-boggling wrongdoing perpetrated during this period and we are even more perplexed that the Law Enforcement and Anti-Corruption Agencies have over the years appear uninterested and unwilling to probe the many allegations of infractions allegedly committed in Lagos state.
”We believe the fight against corruption should be absolute and total with no sacred cows allowed. No territory or individual under the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be beyond investigation of the anti-corruption agencies. Inaction on matters like this is a huge dent to the government’s claim to fight against corruption”.
Attempts to hear from Tinubu and Fashola rebuffed. A media aide to Tinubu did not pick calls to his number. He also failed to reply SMS sent to him.
Fashola’s number was switched off when our reporter called. A source however recalled that there have been countless petitions, against the former governor, which have been investigated. He wondered why this is still happening despite the fact that Fashola left office as governor several years ago. The source refused to talk about the latest petition since he has not seen it.
Newsdiaryonline