Ambode’s impeachment: Hundreds of protesters invade Lagos assembly

There’s no rift, we’re just doing job – LAHA

Benjamin Omoike l Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A group of protesters under the aegis of Lagos People’s Assembly, LPA today stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly to protest against planned impeachment of the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

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The men and women, who arrived in their numbers, carrying banners and placards with inscriptions of their agitations such as  “Lagos People reject planned impeachment of Ambode, it is self serving; We say no to impeachment, operation occupy assembly;  He is a performing governor, we reject impeachment” among others said the purported removal of Ambode from office had the potential of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the gubernatorial elections in the state come March 2, this year.

The group, in a letter titled, ‘Governor Ambode and The Assembly Must Work Together for The People’, and addressed to the leadership of the House, the group expressed concern in the unfolding political drama in the state.

It reads in part: ‘As a critical civil society stakeholder in the Lagos Project, we are gravely concerned with the unfolding political drama in the state, which may degenerate to a lockjam if not handled with the best statesmanship kits. We are fully conscious of the historical truism that that under a constitutional democracy, the executive and legislative arms of government must seamlessly work in harmony to deliver the dividends of democracy for the people. Both arms are equal partners in the business if constitutional, democratic governance.’

Human Rights activist and convener of the group, Declan Ihekaire, who led the protesters to the House, said based on the lingering crisis between the two tiers of government over allegations relating to the governor’s inability to present the 2019 appropriation bill, it was time for the two parties to sheath their swords and move on.

According to him, “Our credible investigation reveals that both arms of government are worried that the budget delay would invariably affect the ability of the government to complete various infrastructural projects commenced by the administration littering the state.

“The fear of both parties which is well founded, is that opposition would make use of the uncompleted projects as campaign items to disparage the ruling party in the forthcoming general elections. This is the main bone of contention leading to the political feud for supremacy between the governor and the Assembly.

“Our position is that Ambode’s second term mandate has been denied him and house has accepted that reality. If there is any other issue to be ironed out, this should be done amicably rather than bringing up the issue of impeachment.

“Ambode is part and parcel of the party, APC and should not be treated as an outsider. We do not want the opposition to take advantage of this unhealthy scenario playing out in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Addressing the group, Majority Leader in the House, Sanai Agunbiade, received the letter on behalf of the leadership of the House, and promised to present it to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
He was quick to add that there was no rift between the executive and legislative arms of government in the state, stating that what many perceive as a rift, was just the House doing it’s job of making laws, carrying out oversights and other sundry issues, especially in the best and overall interest of the state.