Some groups in Lagos State, Society Against Illegal Demolition and Forced Eviction, and United Action for Democracy, yesterday alleged that the state House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Midashiru Obasa, is being shielded against fresh allegations of corruption, calling for his investigation

The groups claimed at a press conference held yesterday in Ikeja that he (Obasa) was alleged to have used N15billion to rebuild a gate ?that is not worth more than N15million,? describing it as unambiguously unacceptable, ?given the mass poverty that is in Nigeria as a country today, and one that has shamelessly put Lagos top of the chart of cities with the largest poverty and insecurity.

?While other cities are competing for the best, Lagos is going far backwards with all sorts of anti-developmental bad strides.?

At the conference, which was addressed by the Secretary of the Society Against Illegal Demolition and Forced Eviction, Opeyemi Ogunlami, on behalf of all the groups, the bodies expressed sadness that with so many allegations and facts against Speaker Obasa, ?he is still the head of parliament in Lagos.

He said: ?What a house of impunity led by the exemplars of office abuses, heavy misappropriations and the over ambitious undermining of landslide growth for Lagos; a very promising and popular city globally.?

?We can refer to many documents of petitions written to the EFCC already over the several corruptive tendencies and acts of Speaker Obasa and his cohorts. As a stout opponent of local government autonomy,

?We are also aware of the allegation that the EFCC Chair is not helping matters to help bring the public officer to public scrutiny.?

Therefore, the groups demanded that Obasa step aside pending the outcome of the investigation. ?His previous relationship with EFCC must not obstruct objectivity and justice. EFCC Chair Olukoyede should never be seen protecting or defending any public official away from public scrutiny.

?All the previous allegations must also be investigated and the outcome made public.

?We call on governors, and all other state officials both in Lagos and nationwide to start serious respect for the independence of the local government as this is the road of collective growth from below, and the closest attempts to bringing governance nearer to the people,? Ogunlami stated. (THISDAY)

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