Alleged 820 Bus Fraud: Judge orders Lagos Assembly speaker, lawmakers to appear in court

A high court in Lagos has summoned Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of
the state house of assembly, over the ongoing probe of 820 buses
procured by the administration of ex-governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Yetunde Adesanya, the chief judge, gave the order on Tuesday
after an ex-parte motion was moved by Tayo Oyetibo, Ambode’s
lawyer, in a suit against the assembly.

The judge also summoned Azeez Sanni, the house clerk; Fatai
Mojeed, chairman of the ad hoc committee set up by the house to
probe the procurement; and members of the committee including
Gbolahan Yishawu, A.A Yusuff, Yinka Ogundimu, Mojisola Lasbat
Meranda, M.L Makinde, Kehinde Joseph, T.A Adewale and O.S
Afinni.

Adesanya ordered the defendants to appear before the court at
9am on Wednesday.

The state assembly had earlier summoned Ambode on two occasions
to give account of some financial dealings during his
administration.

Olusegun Banjo, a former commissioner for economic planning and
budget in the state, had also said Ambode did not involve members
of his cabinet in the purchase of 820 buses.

According to Ambode’s statement of claim before the court, the
ex-governor said the procurement of the buses was well captured in
the 2018 appropriation bill which was duly approved by the
house.

“In section 1 of the Bill, the 1st Defendant (House of Assembly)
authorized the total Budget for the year 2018 to be One Trillion,
Forty Six Billion, One Hundred and Twenty One Million, One Hundred
and Eighty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Naira
(N1,046,121,181,680.00) comprising the sum of Three Hundred and
Forty Seven Billion, Thirty-Eighty Million, Nine Hundred and
Thirty-Eight Thousand, Eight-Hundred and Seventy-Two Naira
(N347,038,938,872.00) only and Six Hundred and Ninety-Nine Billion,
Eighty-Two Million, Two Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand, Eight
Hundred and Eighty Naira (N699,082,242,808.00) only as the
Recurrent and Capital Expenditures respectively,” the statement
read.

“Part of the items authorized by the Bill under Capital
Expenditure was: “LAGBUS Public Transport Infrastructure (MEPB);
Part financing of 820 buses” which was item 8 under schedule 1-
Part C of the Bill.”

Ambode denied receiving any letter from the state assembly,
saying no letter of invitation was delivered to him.

He also alleged that the lawmakers were biased against him based
on their pronouncements on the floor of the house without hearing
his side.

The ex-governor is seeking, among others, the court’s
declaration that the power of the house to pass a resolution under
section 128(1) of the constitution to cause an inquiry into his
conduct as governor is subject to right to fair hearing as
guaranteed by section 36(1) of the constitution.

He is also seeking an injunction restraining the defendants
“whether by themselves, their servants, agents and or
representatives from representing or continue to represent to the
public” that he procured 820 buses in breach of budgetary
approval.

The judge fixed Wednesday, October 30, for hearing of motion for
interlocutory injunction.