The immediate past governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, has
finally responded to the allegation that he approved a contract worth
N78 million for the upgrade of his personal website.
Last weekend, analytic firm, BudgIT, revealed that Mr. Fashola
approved, before he left office, a contract of N78.3 million from the
state treasury
for an upgrade of his personal website.
In his statement he explained how he adopted three more
kids, the reason for spending N78 million on his website and that he did
not interfere in the NASS election that brought Bukola Saraki to power.
Below is his full statement:
They range from allegations of extra
marital paternity of children, to mundane and phantom conspiracy in the
National Assembly, a debt profile for Lagos State and lately a website
upgrade contract of N78 million, which is being distorted. In so far as
the allegations of paternity are concerned, they are wicked and false. I
have no biological children other than my two children.
Of
course, I adopted three children who became orphaned as a result of the
tragic DANA Airplane crash of 2012 and the adoption followed due
process. Those who do not care whether they hurt innocent children or
invade the privacy of other citizens in their mindless rage against me
will have their rewards served upon them in the fullness of time.
As
far as my alleged involvement in the National Assembly elections are
concerned, they remain only the products of the imagination of those who
made the allegations. I was out of the country at the material time and
returned only in the early hours of that morning to Abuja, and from
there proceeded to Lagos. As far as debts of Lagos State are concerned,
the fact is that Lagos had always had debts. Her population is growing
and for a long time she has run deficit budgets to cater to the needs of
that growing population.
All the debts contracted in my time were
approved by the Parliament in the annual budgets, some have been paid
back and the financial status was healthy and stable when I left. The
outlook for the state and her rating by Fitch was long-term foreign and
local currency IDRs at ‘BB-‘, short-term IDR at ‘B’ and national
long-term rating at ‘AA+(nga)
When we all pause to reflect and
think, we will realise that there are a sizable number of companies who
are running business, who have no responsibility for Security, Public
Health, Public Education and other responsibilities of Government, who
borrow more than Lagos State Government, whether collectively or
individually
.As far as the website contract is concerned, yes
there was a contract. It went through procurement and was approved by
the Government agency authorised to do so. One of the services was an
“upgrade” quoted for N12.5 million but awarded for N12 million. There
were other services that were new; like a handover countdown clock,
mobile Apps for Google, for IOS and ipad, for Microsoft, and for
Research in Motion (Blackberry), which the existing website did not
have, as well as the annual maintenance cost for managing the website.
It
was for all these services that the contract was issued for N78
million, which the Lagos State procurement agency gave a No Objection
based on the advice of the Ministry of Science and Technology, who are
the Government adviser on ICT matters. In publishing this Contract award
which was the Government tradition under my watch, the procurement
agency’s website summarised it as “upgrade” only without detailing the
other services and this has been distorted by the agents of hate as
their suspected “smoking gun”.
For those who are familiar with
mobile Applications, they will know that users either pay for them
online or download them for free. What is usual is that applications for
service are usually provided to users free, but somebody bears the
cost. Since these applications were to be made available to the public
for free access and to assist Government communication, we decided to
pay for them. The entire documents are with the Lagos State Government
and are available for those who seek the truth.
For the record,
since 2008, long before the Freedom of Information Act was ever passed,
we had put out all our contracts on the State website because I
believe people deserve to know. It is regrettable that a summary” of
the contract has been deliberately distorted to misinform the public.
This particular website came into being as a result of the decision I
made to make my telephone number public for the several thousands of
people seeking to reach me daily.
The website that is now under
attack helped me to do my job and to respond to citizens, and the
contract was issued to run till my last day of office. It stands logic
upside down for to “fraudulently” award a contract and then have it
published on a website. To date, there have been 27.666 million hits on
this website, with 1,844 videos, 34,381 photographs, 2,531 press
releases and 595 speeches, among other items of public communication. I
have chosen to make this personal response because as the head of
government at the time of the transaction, the buck as they say stops on
my desk and also because of the many calls, text messages and mails
coming from many people seeking clarification and to prevent fiction
from being mistaken for truth.
I expect that there may be more
distorted allegations without evidence, for reasons that remain in the
realm of speculation, because, I have been informed reliably that large
amounts of money are being paid to some of these agents to bear false
witness. I cannot conclude without responding to the crusade of CACOL
and their ilk, seeking my prosecution on allegations that have no proof
and writing “preemptive” letters to the Presidency.
In case they
are unaware, I am not looking for a job. I expect them to know that
allegations of wrong doing are not resolved without evidence, neither
are they resolved in press conferences. I have served my state, and by
extension, my country for Twelve and half years and I did so with my
heart. I am taking the rest that I believe I have earned. For those who
still wish to remain in the mud, they should look in the mirror. For
those who wish to throw mud at me, they should look at their own hands.
As for me, I have moved on. My job is done.
The 26 year old co-p
ilot of the ill fated helicopter that crashed into
the Lagoon yesterday, Peter Bello, (pictured above) has still not been
found. 4 persons were confirmed dead while 6 were rescued alive. However
Peter and one other person in the 12- seat helicopter are yet to be
accounted for as they have not been found by divers.
