Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, allegedly approved the sum of N24.5million for the renovation of the official residence of the state Commissioner of Police, it has been revealed.
Sanwo-Olu gave the approval for the project on February 6, almost three weeks to the February 25 general elections. It was executed by Omay Engineering Services Ltd.
This revelation was made in the Public Procurement awards carried by the state government in 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2023.
Recall that Lagos main opposition parties accused security agencies of colluding with political thugs and hoodlums to intimidate their supporters and suppress votes in parts of the state.
In addition to the money spent on renovation, the state Ministry of Justice paid N200m to four senior lawyers to represent Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat in pre-election matters.
Also, the state government released the sum of N20.8million for the decoration of the venue for political delegates’ congress.
But the money was approved on June 26, 2023, more than three months after the 2023 general elections.
In July, the sum of N6.1million was approved for the provision of furniture items at the Campaign office, GRA, Ikeja. However, political commentators have kicked against the use of taxpayers’ money to fund political activities.
The government also approved N152 million for the restoration of water supply at Iga Iduganran palace, the official residence of the Oba of Lagos.
These revelations come at a time when Nigerians are struggling to cope with economic realities.
Meanwhile, the state Deputy Governor, Hamzat, has said he got only N2million for rechargeable fans and not N2billion as reported.
Hamzat, in a memo addressed to the Director General of the procurement agency, also claimed that his wife got N2.5m each for her monthly outreach to indigents and empowerment programme as against the N30m captured by the agency.
Hamzat, in the memo signed by Director, Finance and Account, Tola Ekemode, on behalf the Permanent Secretary in the office of the deputy governor, said the report by the agency’s claim was untrue, mischievous, fake and unfounded.
“It is important to state that truly, the office did get approval and awarded the provision of supply items (rechargeable fans, rechargeable lights and fridges) for the sum of =N=2,017,840 (Two Million, Seventeen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Naira) as against the =N=2,017,840,000 (Two Billion, Seventeen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira as reported by Doherty in his purported letter.”
“In addition, the report that the office through the Wife of the Deputy Governor spent =N=30,000,000 monthly for outreach to indigents is inaccurate as the amount stated covered the whole year. It is =N=2,500,000 per month. Same for the Empowerment programme by the Wife of the Deputy Governor which also =N=2,500,000 per month as against =N=30,000,000 monthly reported,” read the memo.
