By Kola Popson
The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, may not have started his official assignment on a very friendly note with the immediate past governor of the State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) as many of the loyalists of the former governor have just been relieved of their various positions.
According to our reliable source, who pleaded anonymous, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode sacked many of them the in his first day at work and he is even determined to send many others packing. This development has prompted many to wonder if the new governor is using this to settle a score with former Gov. Fashola. Governor Ambode revealed this sad news to the affected people in a meeting he had with all directors of Lagos State Agencies.
One of those unlucky people that have fallen victims of this action of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode is Ms. Ronke Azeez. Ronke Azeez was the coordinator of ‘Lagos Eko Project’. ‘Lagos Eko Project’ is a World Bank Assisted Project on Education in Lagos State. Ronke is adjudged by many, particularly by her employer, Babatunde Raji Fashola, very brilliant and innovative. Our source revealed that Gov. Ambode just asked the lady to handover to the next person to her without giving any reason.
On a similar note, another person that has also been relieved of her position by Gov. Ambode is Adenike Adekanbi. Adenike Adekanbi is another innovative woman who has been the one in charge of Lagos State Facility Management Agency. From the investigation carried out by Naijahottestgist, we gathered that it was Deji Williams, Personal Assistant to Gov. Ambode, that had actually written the proposal that led to the birth of the agency during the administration of Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Furthermore, it was revealed that Mr. Fashola realised that the proposal made so much sense, and handed it over to a commissioner (name withheld) for execution. It was this commissioner, due to his extra-marital affair with Adenike Adekanbi, who brought her (Adenike Adekanbi) into the picture. Unfortunately for her, the new governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode was quoted to have said to her “I know everything that has been going on, handover to the next person to you.”
Mr. Gbenga Akintola, Chairman of Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) is another loyalist of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola that Gov. Ambode has decided to send packing from LSPWC. Gbenga Akintola was actually residing in the United States before. Our source revealed that his emergence as the Chairman of LSPWC was facilitated by his closeness to Prof. Wole Soyinka and Demola Azeez (Raji Fashola’s best friend). Indeed, we reliably gathered that after Gov. Ambode has asked Gbenga Akintola to handover to the next person to him at LSPWC, he eventually walked him out of the meeting.
The last but not the least of those vital positions occupied by the loyalists of the former Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola, and which Gov. Ambode has decided change their leadership is Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA). This time, the victim is not just the loyalist of Raji Fashola, it is his younger sister, Ms. Yinka Fashola. Our reliable source revealed that Gov. Ambode has relieved the younger sister of Babatunde Fashola of her position as the General Manager of LASRRA. He instructed her to handover everything in her care as General Manager to the next person to her in the agency.
Without doubt, many would begin to wonder why Gov. Ambode actually went after loyalists of his predecessor in his first week in office, knowing full well that Babatunde Raji Fashola was one of those few people who have aided the victory of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode in the last Lagos State Gubernatorial election. Is this a good start for Gov. Ambode?
This serves Fashola right. This is payback time. Please remove most of them and investigate funds (27 billion a month from IGR)
He is only doing what his God father Tinubu told him to do. Shikena!
It’s has the right to do watever he like as the GOL he need to bring in his own people that will b loyal to him the same way dey were loyal to fashola.. Continue jare.. Ambode kill dem allll
These should not be seen as witch hunting or vendetta game. All these appointments are political ones. This is known as change of baton. He can’t sack career officer like this. He needs to appoint new set of loyalist who will propagate his own vision for Lagos. He hasn’t acted out of the ordinary. Do not sensationalise this honoursble move.
Well, the decisions he took was a wrong one and so inhuman, these people helped him during his campaign and all he could do was to sack them all..well, I doubt if he will make a good leader with this uncalled for approach..Bahuri is a true leader, he has not changed any nobody since he came in but that does not mean he will not do that..he is putting things in order first (settle down first oga governor) before you start showing yourself as the governor. Anyway, I doubt if you will make Lagos great just the way Fashola did with all this people your sacking..u made it look like your beefing people..not a good start..