The Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to appear before it within one week over the 2019 budget, which has caused disagreement between the two arms of government.
The Assembly accused the governor of not presenting the budget and spending it when it had not been passed.
Ambode had sent the 2019 budget to the House in December against the tradition of laying the budget before the House.
The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday told lawmakers it was important to give the governor a fair hearing over the 2019 budget.
He said, “There have been infractions and it is obvious that the attorney-general, finance commissioner and commissioner for budget and economic planning have failed to advise the governor.
“We should let the people know that a budget that has yet to be approved is being spent, which is why we could not attend to the governor on the budget on Monday, January 21.
“We must let him come to explain what happened. You cannot commence expenditure without passing the budget. We call on the governor to come within a week to explain himself or we can start gathering signatures for impeachment,” he said.
The lawmakers had reacted to a report presented by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who is the chairman of a committee set up to look into the issues surrounding the 2019 budget.
Members of the committee are Moshood Oshun, Gbolahan Yishawu, Dayo Saka-Fafunmi and Abiodun Tobun.
Eshinlokun-Sanni stated that the budget and economic planning commissioner, Segun Banjo, said no money had been spent for the year.
He added that the accountant-general told the committee that warrant had been issued that they could spend up to 20 per cent of the preceding budget before the approval of the budget for the New Year.
“We asked them to bring out the law that allows them to spend up to 20 per cent of the budget of the preceding year. They could not bring out such a law.”
The Lawmakers adjourned till Monday, February 4.
