PDP WANTS FASHOLA IMPEACHED OVER TOLLS ON ROADS, ACN DISAGREES

CITING abuse of power, the Lagos State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Sunday urged the State House of Assembly to commence impeachment moves against Governor Babatunde Fashola over plans to collect tolls on roads in the state, especially on  the new Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge.

In a statement, the Publicity Secretary of the party, Taofik Gani noted that Fashola had on Democracy Day announced plans to commence another tolling on Lagos roads especially the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge.

But in a swift reaction, the state Publicity Secretary of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Joe Igbokwe has dismissed the PDP’s call for Fashola’s impeachment, describing it as baseless and lacking in merit.

He said Fashola’s administration had raised the standard of governance in the state “to such an extent that other governors including the PDP-led states now look up to Lagos for development plans in their states. That is why Fashola is being referred to as headmaster among the governors.”

According to Taofik: “It was immoral to allow the governor toll roads that are wholly built with taxpayers’ monies.

“Even the ongoing tolling of the Lekki-Epe Road that the lawmakers acquiesced to is morally wrong as they know well that a project ought to be completed and delivered before it can be paid for. In this instance, the tolling has started whereas the actual design and benefits from the said road have not even been completed which is exploitation.”

Insisting that this was high time the state legislators stood for what was right by removing the governor, Taofik said, “the lawmakers must find their ways back into the hearts of the people and particularly to prove to them that they are not stooges and puppets of the governor and the only way to prove this is to stop the tolling of the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge. As a matter of fact, they must also commence the probe of the alleged N29 billion spent to construct the said bridge.”

He added that the conception that Lagos was in bondage of a business syndicate ably aided and abetted by Fashola could be put straight at this time “if the lawmakers remained resolute and rejected the tolling of the bridge. They must also at this point curtail Fashola’s arrogant posture in the governance of the state.

“There is serious need for the Lagos House of Assembly to do a holistic review of all the anti-people policies by Fashola and find ways to reverse them.

The party added: “Fashola’s imperialist system has pauperised so many people in Lagos and the time to stop it is now. The desperation to commence the tolling of the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge is indeed immoral, exploitative and further gives credence to the suspicion that even the purported repairs of some Federal Government roads in the state are indeed inflated to make extra profits into some private pockets.

Igbokwe also cautioned the PDP against the implications of inciting the people against the government, saying that “Lagos has never had the type of positive  development being witnessed under the present administration.”

Source: Guardian