A pro-democracy group, Coalition Against Corruption and Impunity, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, demanding an investigation into the administrations of Bola Tunibu and Babatude Fashola as governors of Lagos State.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Mr Tinubu had governed Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 while Mr Fashola who is now the Minister for Works and Housing, took over the affairs of the state between 2007 and 2015.
The petition, signed July 24 by John Olufemi and Mohammed Sanni, the group’s coordinator and secretary respectively, was copied to the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu.
According to the group, the EFCC needed 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) partly owned by Tinubu and Fashola.
Another area is alleged operation of eight foreign bank accounts 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.
Other allegations are the N250 hectare 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 N450million 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”.
