Trouble as Lagos Assembly Speaker, Obasa, lawmakers face probe over N15billion assembly gate saga
Trouble looms for the speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa and the lawmakers following a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by an anti-corruption group asking it to probe the assembly over the N17billion allegedly spent by the speaker to construct an entrance gate to the assembly complex.
In the petition, the group, Lagos State Anti-Corruption Coalition, alleged that spending N17billion on a gate which should not cost more than N15million was fraudulent and urged the commission to investigate financial activities involving the assembly.
Aside from the gate controversy, the group accused the speaker and the clerk of the House, Onafeko Biliamin of mishandling the Constituency Intervention Funds and Constituency Project Funds.
“It has been reported that a project involving the construction of this gate has been allocated an exorbitant sum of N17billion, whereas evaluations suggest that such a project should not cost more than N15million. This raises serious concerns about the mismanagement and potential misappropriation of public funds.
“Furthermore, there have been persistent allegations of fraudulent activities surrounding the handling of Constituency Intervention Funds and Constituency Project Funds by Hon. Obasa and the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Onafeko Olalekan Biliamin,” the petition stated.
The group alleged that some companies are being used by the speaker and his cronies ‘to siphon public funds.’
It mentioned the companies to include ‘Xenon Construction Ltd, Plot 12, CIPM Road, Alausa, Ikeja, and Visible construction Ltd. J9C4+HWW, Agidingbi, Lagos.’
“We kindly request the EFCC to Investigate the allocation and expenditure of N17 billion on the gate construction project, examine the management of Constituency Intervention and Project Funds in the Lagos State House of Assembly, and take appropriate actions to ensure transparency, accountability, and justice” the petition stated.
It added: “We are confident that the Commission will handle this matter with the utmost professionalism and impartiality to uphold the principles of democracy, accountability, and good governance.
