·         Scandalous fraud allegations trail former governor of Lagos
·         How the poster boy of APC’s ‘Change’ revolution became suspect

Fashola, poster-boy of the APC’s ‘Change’ revolution is hardly all he was cracked to be; the former Lagos governor, contrary to widespread speculation, might be crooked after all. In the wake of allegations that he incurred debts amounting to N800 billion for his successor and incumbent Lagos governor, Akinwumi Ambode, more facts are emerging daily, and they all point to Fashola’s seeming culpability in a fraud of scandalous proportions.
Besides the N800 billion debt he allegedly incurred for Lagos, Fashola is currently caught up in a storm of condemnations over his alleged complicity in a N78 million scam. The former governor of Lagos reportedly shelled N78.3million of Lagos tax-payers’ money on his personal website. In 2014, the Lagos State Government under his leadership, allegedly spent the sum of N78 million for the upgrade of the website – www.tundefashola.com according to a BudgIT, a financial analysis firm. BudgIT broke the news quoting a budget report on the website of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency. The contract was allegedly awarded to Info Access Plus Limited, a company without verifiable presence on the internet – The Capital’s attempt to conduct a GOOGLE search for the firm’s website proved futile.
The report, which was published on Lagos State’s official website in May, stated that N78.3m was paid to Info Access Plus Limited, for the “upgrade of www.tundefashola.com website post May 29, 2015 handover.” However, the company which was awarded the contract to upgrade the website said it received only N10 million for the job, adding that it was mischievous of the state government to state in its records that N78.3m was given to it. The firm said the website was not Fashola’s personal website but only reports and documents his activities as governor.
Fashola has consequently debunked claims that the controversial website is his personal website.
“It is imperative to state here that, the website in question is not Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s personal website but an official website which reports and documents his official activities as a way of socially accounting for his stewardship to the people of Lagos State. This initiative of having an official website for the Governor was to build on the earlier commitment to open access which saw Governor Fashola being the first serving governor to publish his telephone number on the pages of newspapers. As pressure mounted on that number, the website and all of its social media handles became alternative platforms for people to directly engage with their elected governor”, the press statement put out by Fashola’s media team reads.
Predictably , the revelation has generated buzz on the social media as Facebook and Twitter for instance, are agog with condemnations and random rationalisation of Fashola’s alleged fraud. In several tweets and retweets, commentators have been expressing derision and disgust that the former governor could have approved such a questionable expenditure under his watch. The consensus is that the cost was grossly exaggerated and over-inflated. A WordPress website, like http://tundefashola.com/http://tundefashola.com/ should not cost more than N3million, according to expert opinions.
In another shocking revelation, Stanley Achonu, the Operations Lead for BudgIT Nigeria, while
discussing the N78.3 million spent for maintenance on former Governor Fashola’s personal website, told SaharaTV that over N1.18 billion naira was spent on six pedestrian bridges in Lagos. Achonu revealed during the interview that the outrageous N1.18 billion was spent for just six pedestrian bridges on Lekki Expressway and added “by Monday our team members will need to see if they are constructing those bridges… I’m assuming as of now, that money has already been spent.” Of course, many residents of Lekki Expressway betray shock and stupefaction over the money allegedly spent on pedestrian bridges that are yet to manifest.
The BudgIT team also learned this past week that in 2014 more than “N330 million was spent for work on the house of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State,” stated Achonu. When asked whether BudgIT received explanation from the Lagos State government about this monumental waste, Achonu said “they don’t owe us any explanation…We don’t want to be contacted. They should contact the Lagosians whose money they used.”
BudgIT is an independent organization which reviews and evaluates Federal and State budgets in Nigeria. They also review the procurement and commissioning of projects in Nigeria to enhance transparency and report on corruption.

Treachery gets its due
There is no gainsaying the die is cast for the former Lagos governor. The recent spate of events glaringly contradicts and militates against the realisation of his heartfelt dream to be part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s kitchen cabinet. Fashola until recently, was prime favourite of the incumbent president for certain crucial positions. He was severally touted as President Buhari’s favoured candidate for the position of Minister of Works or the president’s Chief of Staff. LagosTimes investigations however, revealed that the former governor of Lagos failed woefully, the anti-corruption scrutiny conducted by President Buhari on his preferred candidates for ministerial and special advisory roles.
It would be recalled that prior to President Buhari’s victory at the polls, Fashola was very close to him; the former Lagos governor ingratiated himself to Buhari in frantic bid to be part of the latter’s cabinet should he win the elections. Soon after Buhari’s victory, Fashola stuck to him like a leech and sought to manipulate the retired military General to his personal advantage. Fashola needed to be part of President Buhari’s team in his desperate bid to demean his estranged mentor and political godfather, Bola Tinubu, and neuter the latter politically.

Last ace up his sleeves
The last ace up his sleeves was to ingratiate himself to President Buhari and become the latter’s Chief of Staff cum backbone of his administration. While Fashola campaigned for Buhari, it was common knowledge in party circuits that he worked against the interests of Tinubu by insinuating to Buhari that he needed to cut Tinubu to size or turn a blind eye while dissenters within the party moved to execute such measure against the man who by dint of conviction and hard work, united various power blocs and interests under the aegis of the APC.
While Tinubu camp succeeded to effect the emergence of Buhari as the party’s presidential candidate and his eventual victory at the March 28, presidential elections, Fashola, in connivance with Fayemi, silently agonised and decried his increasing influence and political might. In the aftermath of Buhari’s electoral victory, Fashola went to work, insinuating a scary portrait of his former benefactor, Tinubu, to President Buhari with frenetic vigour.
President Buhari of course, saw through his plot. That was why the incumbent president decided to exercise caution and tow the path of due process by ensuring Fashola and others desperately currying his favour were subjected to serious scrutiny lest they infect his government with terminal corruption. With the recent revelations about Fashola, President Buhari must be thanking his stars; among other things, he has dodged a fatal chink in his armour.