Lagos PDP, ACN differ on Fashola's presence at Tinubu's trial

By Seye Olumide


LAGOS State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) are trading words over Governor Babatunde Fashola's attendance at the on-going trial of his predecessor and former governor of the state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Abuja.


While the PDP faulted Fashola's appearance, the ACN cautioned PDP against distracting the governor.

[size=18pt]In a statement issued yesterday by state PDP Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, the party berated Fashola for "leaving the state at this critical period", saying that the governor's action has confirmed the suspicion that "his allegiance is to his predecessor and not the state. Otherwise why should a serious governor leave his state at this trying period of Lagos State University Student (LASU) students' unrest and post-local council election protest, among others, for such a matter?"[/size]

Gani said the office of the governor of the state was getting completely desecrated because of the influence of one man and the indulgence by the governor.

The statement further stated that by Fashola's attendance, the state may be implicated to appear as "accessory after the fact" of the offence.

[size=18pt]According to Gani, "If there is to be any diligent prosecution of a former governor, the present governor must be unbiased and willing to support the overriding interest of the state. But alas, this governor has demonstrated that he may not release any evidence that could help bring to book his predecessor. Lagosians now know that there is too much secrecy in the Governor's Office. No wonder Lagos State has deliberately refused to domesticate the Freedom of Information Act (FoI) ACT".[/size]

But the ACN condemned Lagos PDP for allegedly casting aspersions on Fashola for appearing as one of the more than 25 senior advocates who appeared to defend Tinubu at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja yesterday.

In a statement by the state publicity secretary of the party, Joe Igbokwe, ACN said the PDP left aside the worst electoral defeat it suffered in the latest local council elections to see if it can make something out of nothing, pursuing rats.

Igbokwe said: "Governor Fashola is a lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for that matter and he understands the implications of his actions and deeds as he does his duty as the Executive Governor of Lagos State. He knows the facts about this case and he understands what is at stake.

"Has Lagos PDP seen the charges against Tinubu? Where is the proof of their phantom charges against Tinubu? Why is Tinubu being tried in Abuja? There are things Governor Fashola knows which little minds in Lagos PDP do not know. Governor Fashola appeared at CCT as a lawyer and not as the governor of Lagos State. That is why he sat where the SANs sat".


http://odili.net/news/source/2011/oct/28/1.html

Whether the facts of the case against Tinubu are valid or not, can be debated by us until we’re all blue in the face.

What is unmistakable, however, is that the chief executive of an entire State has now, on numerous occasions, especially in cases involving his corrupt mentor, bailed out on the people of Lagos, and instead preferred to go waste hours sitting idly in Abuja while his constitutional duties are left unattended to.


Is this What being progressive is all about?