Since the Lagos State House of Assembly passed the 2019 budget some weeks ago, the current governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has not personally received it.
The situation that has stirred up rumors that it has been a deliberate attempt by the lawmakers, and they plan to hand it over to the incoming governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, instead.
A source told Punch newsmen that as result of the continued withholding of the budget, a good number of projects currently being carried out by Ambode’s administration have suffered setbacks.
The source 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 realize 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.”
Meanwhile, another source told the newsmen that the delay might have been as a result of some other reasons, adding that the governor has the right to take money from the previous budget to fund his projects.
The source stated, “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.”
Governor Ambode has not been in good terms with members of the House of Assembly for some time. As the impasse lingered, some of the lawmakers went as far as issuing an impeachment threat in January, this year.