Ebun Francis|
Lawmakers in the Lagos state house of assembly have threatened to impeach the governor of Lagos State Akinwunmi Ambode over allegation that he incurred expenditure from the 2019 budget without the approval of the assembly.
The lawmakers have subsequently given the governor a week ultimatum to explain his action, failure of which could lead to the introduction of an article of impeachment him.
At plenary on Monday while majority of members of the house called for the impeachment of the governor others asked him to resign.
But Mudashiru Obasa, the speaker, while appealing to the lawmakers to give the governor the last chance to defend himself, however, he asked those pushing for the governor’s impeachment to start collecting signatures.
The relationship between the governor and the lawmakers went south following the soured relationship between Ambode and the party leadership last year.
The lawmakers on many occasions frustrated the governor’s efforts to present his last budget since last year.
On January 3, the state commissioner for budget and economic planning, Olusegun Banjo had said the state’s 2019 budget of N852.317 billion had been submitted to the state assembly.
Banjo later explained that the governor had sent verbal information to present the budget on December 24, after the state executive council approval on December 19.
But the presentation did not take place as the house was on recess and could not form a quorum.
On January 21, the lawmakers frustrated the bid of the governor to present the budget after he sent words to them that he was set to present the budget.