Okays N662.58b Appropriation Bill
THE Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday reversed the impeachment notice served on Femi Pedro, who was the Deputy Governor of the state from 2004 to 2007.

Pedro, who was removed from office on May 10, 2007 by two-thirds majority of the Fifth Assembly, was pardoned yesterday, citing his “total remorseful, loyalty to the party and commitment to the state government” since he was ousted nine years ago.

The House, having adopted and debated the recommendations of an eight-man review committee, also noted that the offenses for which Pedro was impeached were not criminal in nature, but pardonable and therefore passed a vote of confidence on him “as a fit and proper person that can be entrusted with political and administrative responsibilities.”

All 36 members present at the plenary, except one, voted in favour of the reverse order.

In another development, the House yesterday approved the budget estimate of N662.588 billion for 2016 after completing a re-ordering exercise of the state government’s proposal.

Compared to the original estimate as presented by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode a fortnight ago, the new budget shows a downward review of recurrent expenditure of N275.655b from N278.9 billion originally proposed. Capital expenditure was raised to N386.932 billion (from N383.678 billion).

Governor Ambode also put the total revenue estimate for 2016 fiscal year at N542.873 billion, saying the balance of N119.714 billion would be funded through deficit financing constituting 0.41 per cent of the state GDP based on 2016 budget alone and a cumulative debt to GDP ratio of about three per cent.

Prior to unanimous approval of the budget, Chairman of the Budget Review (Appropriation) Committee, Rotimi Olowo, noted that the budget estimate was premised on fragile microeconomics assumptions of N200 to $1 exchange rate and oil benchmark of $30 per barrel.

He said that based on their findings, the committee observed a lot of shortfalls in the appropriation, which therefore necessitated upward reviews in some allocations.

Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, commended the Appropriation Committee for the diligent work on the proposal and helping the House to deliver the budget as “a New Year” gift to Lagosians.

It would be recalled that Pedro in a letter dated June 22, 2015 approached the current House of Assembly, pleading for a revisit and revise of his impeachment by 32-member of the Fifth Assembly on compassionate ground.

The eight-man ad-hoc committee that was inaugurated to look into Pedro’s request said that it had no disagreement with the impeachment processes. The committee, however, took cognisance of the fact that the allegation levelled against Pedro and upon which he was impeached, has no criminal imputation and Pedro has no criminal indictment by any court of law pursuant to the said impeachment.

Chairman of the Committee, Sanai Agunbiade, said considering the presentations of Pedro before the committee, “it is clear that Pedro is not asking to be reinstated as the deputy governor of the state because the tenure for which he was elected has expired and his governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with whom he served, had long left office.”

In his contribution during the debate, Rotimi Olowo, the Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, urged the Assembly to reverse the impeachment for the former deputy governor to live a normal life.

Olowo said that Pedro has shown remorse and needed to be forgiven.

Also, Chairman, House Committee on Health, Segun Olulade, commended the ad-hoc committee for the recommendation to reverse the impeachment notice after nine year, saying that Pedro should be forgiven and be allowed to further contribute to the society.