Lagos Assembly invites Ambode again

Lagos State Assembly has again invited the former Governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode to come and clarify the five sins he allegedly committed during his administration.

The sins include ‘Misappropriation of Special Expenditure Funds’ and ‘buying 820 buses without due authorisation’.

The assembly asked the ex-governor to appear before it on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, at 1 pm.

This is the second time Ambode would be summoned by the state lawmakers.

Earlier in October, the lawmakers had threatened to arrest Ambode alongside former Justice Commissioner Kazeem Adeniji , former Budget Commissioner Olusegun Banjo, former Finance Commissioner Akinyemi Ashade and ex Energy Commissioner Wale Oluwo.

Akinwunmi Ambode to appear before Lagos House of Assembly members on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, to clarify some allegations against him. [African Examiner] Pulse Nigeria

According to Punch, the House had set up an ad hoc committee to investigate some financial misappropriation during the Ambode administration.

But a statement by the House stated that Ambode refused to appear before the state lawmakers.

The House has now issued another invite to the former governor and published it in national dailies as adverts.

The invite titled, ‘Notice of summons: Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (the former Governor of Lagos State),’ was signed by the Clerk of the House, Mr A. A. Sanni.

Lagos lawmakers want Ambode to understand why he should appear before them

In the invite, the lawmakers reminded Ambode of the importance of appearing them to clarify a five-point infraction raised by the Assembly.

Lagos State House of Assembly members want Akinwunmi Ambode to appear before them on Wednesday, October 30, 2019. (TheNation) ece-auto-gen

The new invite states, “The Lagos State House of Assembly, pursuant to Section 129 (1)© of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) hereby summons His Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, the former Governor of Lagos State (May, 2015 — May, 2019) to appear before the Committee of the House on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja by 1 pm.”

Ambode's sins as stated in the invite

The Assembly asked the former governor to appear before it to clarify the following: (1) Unauthorised discounting of promissory note; (2) Purchase of 820 buses by his administration without due authorisation; (3) Misappropriation of Special Expenditure Funds; (4) Improper implementation of the Appropriation Law; and (5) Non-adherence to the Financial Regulations of the state.

In the notice, Ambode was also asked to provide documents to back up the claims that the allegations against him do not violate constitutional provisions.

The notice reads, “You are kindly requested to furnish the committee with 15 copies each of all relevant document(s) relating to the issues raised through the Office of the Clerk of the House on or before Tuesday, October 29, 2019.

“It is pertinent to state that your presence at the proposed meeting would give you the opportunity to shed light on issues that are material to the investigation.”

Recall that in August, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the ex-governor’s country home in Epe and his residence at Park View, Ikoyi.