Right of Reply: Fashola & Mega Corruption: The true face of Lagos

In Punch Newspapers on Thursday 28th January 2010 a group called 'The

True Face of Lagos' took out a 2 pg advertorial in pgs 44 and 45 where

they accused our erstwhile Governor Fashola, our Attorney General Supo

Shasore and a Mr. Tunji Olowolafe of financial recklessness. They claim

also that the Law makers in the house had been shielding the Governor

from probe as they have been bribed and their 'lion of bourdillon' had

bribed the press to avoid leakages. The advert was signed by a Mr.

Kasali Martins and another Dr Tunde George. The punch newspaper also

wrote their report based on the advert and said they spoke to our

former Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who said he does not work in

governor's office, BRF does not take instructions from him and that he

is not BRF's boss. This advertorial by this seemingly faceless group

was interestingly only placed in Punch Newspapers. Not in other papers

like Next and This Day where some investigative journalism would have

gone to the bottom of all their spurious allegations before reporting

the story. It is interesting also that they care so much about the

people of Lagos and only Punch readers have been privy to their grave

concerns and the consequences of their action.

The lawmakers thus based on this advertorial started impeachment

proceedings against our action Governor the very next day. Again this

was reported in Punch Newspapers the next day, Friday 29th January

2010 in pg 12. There will be a probe that will be led by a group of 6

ad hoc committee. A name in the group is Mrs Adefunmilayo Tejuosho,

the disgraced former deputy speaker that was ousted last year is now

trusted to be inquisitor of a Governor who has put the State on the

World map! These are indeed interesting times in politics in Nigeria.

We want to warn the law makers especially this group of 6 to be

careful they do not succumb to temptations that would lead to setting

Lagos on fire. They should not agree to be weapons in the hands of

satan. We are not faceless but a group of professionals of all works

of life. We are going to do all to see that after 10 years we have for

the first time a patriotic, forward thinking, hard working, Godly man

who is there truly to serve to lead us that he stays there. We know

those behind this faceless group and they will fail.

We were ambitious when BRF agreed to answer the call to be governor

that asiwaju would be big enough to let him do the work whilst he

takes care of the politics involved. What asiwaju seems to forget also

is that but for him giving us this governor, we would be petitioning

all the looting that took place under his administration that caused

some commissioners to resign for fear of probe as the treasury was

practically empty. He probably now would be in kirikiri with his co

megalomaniac of the Lagos PDP, Bode George courtesy of the EFCC. At

least they can say which contracts they feel were awarded and figures,

who knew what was given to whom under the Tinubu regime?

What are BRF's real crimes?

1, Asiwaju wants the state to pay his company alpha beta N4 Billion

every month and more as our revenue rises, to which BRF says ' No sir,

I need the money to build roads, bridges, hospitals, courts, rail

lines, houses that I promised my people when I took the oath of office

which means something to some of us. It is interesting True Face of

Lagos mention anything about Alpha Beta in their advertorial. Asiwaju

already collects revenues from Lagos State higher than some state

revenues. In the whole of BRF's cabinet, the Judiciary, and the

executive there are only a handful of BRF's own people. Majority defer

to Asiwaju and still BRF keeps working with dignity. Asiwaju owns

practically half of Ikoyi, nearly all of Lekki several properties

abroad. He still is not satisfied and publically denounces BRF as

being stingy. What does BRF own? Asiwaju took delivery of his own

private jet last month, True Face was this acquired from his pension?

2, Lagos State Government wanted to buy helicopters as one of the ways

to raise revenue, asiwaju with all his cronies like Muiz Banire,

Afikuyomi decided that he would supply the helicopters. BRF says ' No

sir, anything else. This is not a contract. It has to be given to

those who can maintain service and manage them. This was awarded to

Caverton Helicopters who not only put up the best bid but also

submitted a Business plan on how best to service the choppers such

that they will earn their cost in just 2 years and they have started

working. The same Punch Newspapers in today's review 31st Jan on page

7report on the good work the choppers are doing.

3, The Martin Luther King award for outstanding Governance that was

given to BRF. Asiwaju was furious! He could not even help but comment

on BRF's star that is shinning too bright. What he should know is that

it is not by power or by might but from above. Even BRF could not

brighten his own star. It is God that does that and can Asiwaju

challenge God now? He should please ask his beautiful and very kind

wife Remi, who goes to Church toread and explain Ezekiel 28 v2-19 to him and the consequences. As usual BRF knowing his former boss as usual showed such deference he did not go to collect the award himself. He did not ask friends and

use money from the State's coffers to take out Congratulatory messages

to himself as is the norm of recipients of even less prestigious

awards like the 'Ikorodu Hall Of Fame'. He needs also to read the

story of King Saul and David.
He would understand how God works.

The Truth.
The truth will always be the truth no matter where it is being told

and for how long. To use some of the issues raised in the advertorial.

1, The Western Avenue road contract awarded to Julius Berger. The

Committee should probe it and all other Julius Berger contracts

awarded under Asiwaju's Government as the CEO of JB Engr Salami is

Asiwaju's long time best friend.

2, Our investigations show that under the Civil Service Rules and

which BRF's government stictly adheres to, a situation

that did not give under Asiwaju's time, whenever a contract is to be

awarded, let us take the Contract awarded to Deux limited by the

Ministry of health. A memo is raised by the Director of the ministry

to the Perm Sec with a list of companies who bid. It is the Perm sec

who vets this list of companies and recommends the best 3 based on

their reputation, their past performance, their financials and then

recommends these 3 to the commissioner.


The Commissioner for health in
Lagos State is Dr Jide Idris- Asiwaju's 1st cousin. The commissioner

now presents these 3 companies to Exco which is made up of 40 members

including the deputy governor and the governor. It is the Exco that

now award the contract to 1 company. Any company in our estimation

that can bribe 40 people and then perform really should get that

contract however unlikely that is. Deux limited from our findings a

construction company that also specializes in Health service delivery

are popular with Lagos state because they are patriotic. They get the

work done with their own funds and then await payment and are owed a

lot of money by the state. They have in their employment close to a

thousand lagosiansand only in comparison very few expats. They work in Abuja,

Portharcourt and not justLagos. Above all their initial introduction into Lagos was the

closeness of Olowolafe and Asiwaju. The fallout is Asiwaju refusing to

be advised to allow BRF work.

We have had enough and despite what is going on at the centre, Lagos

is our own and we wont let Tinubu who afterall is from Osun State and

cannot understand the pride we have in BRF, pull us down. We are

rising up and reject all this godfatherism. Tinubu regrets his choice

of BRF but what he should realize is that it was not his choice. It

was the choice of God. We are not faceless and we would use our

professionalism to put the truth out there. We are Lawyers, Doctors,

Engineers, Bankers, Accountants, Nurses, Teachers, Home makers who

have influences with embassies, international chambers of commerce,

foreign governments and have a wide reach. What you decide and stand

on does not stay in Lagos. We are not all from Lagos State but we

have our livelihoods here and pay our taxes here. Our roots are here.

This is the beginning of getting Lagos's much needed freedom from

Tinubu. It has gone on too long. There will be plenty of activities

to this end and we will call on you all to stand and speak up.

Eko o le baje! Eko o ni baje.
Adebola Olasewere.
Abidemi Dabiri.
Kehinde Olusi