Two weeks after the Lagos State House of Assembly passed the
2019 budget, Governor Ambode is yet to receive it.
According to a report by Punch, the Assembly might be
awaiting May 29 when the governor-elect,
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, would be sworn into office. A source revealed that
government projects had been stalled due to the impasse.
He said, “They just refused to pass it to the governor
because they want to play politics with the budget. Most of the people in the
Assembly are loyal to one man and he appears to be dictating to them. But what
more do they want to do to Ambode? They have humiliated him, denied him his
return ticket, and even threatened to impeach him. What has he done to deserve
all that?
“What they failed to realise is that this is beyond Ambode.
It is about Lagos State. It is about governance. Since they took this decision
not to pass the budget to him, things have been at a standstill. No
development; nothing. This is wrong at all levels because people’s lives are
being held.”
However, another government source said while the Assembly
might have certain reasons for not passing the bill to the governor, the law
permits Ambode to spend a certain percentage of the previous year budget.
She said, “It is true that the budget has not been
transmitted to the governor. But their reason is immaterial. Whatever they like
they can do. The law allows the governor to spend a certain amount of last
year’s budget pending the time the new budget would be ready. The governor will
do his best within the time available.”
The Ambode administration had said it sent the budget to the
Assembly early, but the lawmakers went on a break and could not sit over it in
December 2018. Early 2019, the Assembly
had issued an impeachment threat to the governor for allegedly spending from
the budget when it had not been passed. After protests and public
demonstrations, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola
Tinubu, and some party stalwarts called the lawmakers and the governor into a
meeting, where the matter was reportedly resolved. On April 29, the Assembly passed the
N873.532bn budget, more than 80 days after the governor eventually presented
it.
