The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State chapter on Friday said Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) lacks the moral justification to dictate to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on which project to embark on for Lagosians.
Sagay had said it makes no sense for Governor Sanwo-Olu to embark on the rail ‘red line’ project when the Blue Line started almost 10 years ago is yet to be completed.
However, the PDP, speaking through Taofik Gani, its Publicity Secretary said Sagay should concentrate on his job as PACAC chairman and leave the governor to decide what is best for his people.
According to the party, Sagay who had a cordial relationship with Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing failed to speak out when Fashola, as governor of Lagos state failed to account for monies spent on the project till he completed his tenure as governor.
“Without holding the fort for Governor Sanwo-Olu, the truth of the matter is that Prof. Itse Sagay lacks the moral justification to come up at his own will and criticize the government. This is the same person who is supposed to be in charge of a thorough anti-corruption drive but he has clearly abandoned that. He only criticizes the government when it is obviously against his interest”.
“We know that the Blue rail from the beginning was a complete fraud. It was a project that was started with less than N6billion and now it is over a N46billion. During Fashola’s era, the governor couldn’t account for the funds spent on that project, yet Prof. Sagay kept mute because of his close relationship with Fashola”.
“There is no reason why he will now come and condemn the actual needs of Lagosians within the metropolis. We are talking of Oyingbo, Alagbado, and other places. Look at the number of people who transit in that particular area”.
“We condemn the attempt by Prof. Sagay to want to be the spokesman for Lagosians on what projects they want or do not want. We condemn his hypocritical stance on this issue. He should come out and condemn President Buhari and others who have put us in this mess”.
“We say it loud and clearly that Prof. Sagay is a beneficiary of the APC and government and he can’t be criticizing a project that will benefit Lagosians. Why will he say Fashola’s projects must be completed? How many projects did Fashola himself complete and why couldn’t he account for those funds when his successor demanded it? In a saner clime, Fashola ought to be with EFCC now, not as a Minister of the Federal Republic”.
“We however demand that Governor Sanwo-Olu must return to make a fair presentation to interested parties. Every kobo must be supervised and accounted for. The monitoring team can have CSO. Why should any government even be scared of like “Ombudsman” on projects executed with Tax and Loans”.
