Recent political bickerings and the allegation of an impeachment process against Lagos State governor, Mr. Raji Fashola, by the state House of Assembly may not be unconnected to the governor falling out with his mentor, the former Governor Bola Tinubu, writes Adewale Ajayi.

He is adjudged one of the best governors in Nigeria. In fact, many governors see him as a role model. His performance has become the benchmark to assess other governors in Nigeria and, as such, some governors across the country had taken time to study his programmes to see if they could be replicated in their own states. However, his political godfather appears uncomfortable with his rising profile and is working to see that he does not get a second term in office.

This preface explains the good relationship turned awry between the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Bola Tinubu, and his successor , Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN). It is glaring that Tinubu unilaterally imposed Fashola as the governor of Lagos State. And because his performance, since assumption into office has been impressive, political pundits  had thought he would be allowed to have an additional term, as provided for in the constitution. This is on the premise that the governor completes the projects he started. But that might not be, because his godfather does not seem interested in backing him up in the race for 2011 elections in the state.

It appears that Fashola has, so far, not impressed Tinubu and the problem between the duo boils down to a clash of interests, with the apparent refusal by the former governor to oil the political machinery through which the incumbent governor emerged as governor of the state.

It is alleged that Tinubu has some business interests which  were not being patronised by his successor. It was said that contracts that ought to go to such companies  were awarded to Fashola’s associates, thereby denying his master  the opportunity to generate money, part of  which could  be ploughed back into the ruling party in the state, Action Congress (AC). Since he remains the major financier of the party, it was said that Tinubu’s inability ‘to live up to expectations’ would put his relevance in the party to question.

For perceptive critics, when the Speaker of the State Assembly, Honourable Adeyemi Ikuforiji, accused Fashola of getting carried away by accolades from the people of the state, who were saying that he had performed well, although there were some areas in the state that were neglected, it was obvious he was speaking the minds of some aggrieved members of the party. The Nigerian Tribune  gathered that the outpouring of accolades on Fashola further created an unhealthy rivalry between him and his boss, because his achievements in the last three years had made nonsense of what was recorded as achievement by Tinubu for the eight years that he held forte as governor of the state.

The “sins” of Fashola reportedly have to do with his inability to empower members of the party, some of  whom, most times, had to recourse to Tinubu for help. But there was little he could do since he was no more the governor of  the state. It was said that even the financial assistance rendered to the party and some party members was affecting his personal fortune.

Sources told the Nigerian Tribune  that Tinubu feared that things might get to a level where he could no longer be able to render such assistances anymore, thereby becoming a  passive leader.

Fashola’s failure to inaugurate board appointments into state agencies did not go down well with some members of the party, as it would have served as an avenue to feather their nests. Given this situation, these members believe that his securing a second term ticket would further compound their problems.

To perfect the plan to frustrate Fashola’s quest for  a second term, there were underground moves to clip his wings, destabilise his administration, and make him to lose focus before the 2011 elections.

Observers say the advertorial published in one of the national dailies by a group, ‘True Face of Lagos State,’ cataloguing details of  Fashola’s alleged financial mismanagement, could have emerged from his boss to smear his reputation and probably create room for his impeachment by the state House of Assembly, since that was the only available option left to ease him out of office, if he refused to tender his resignation or jettison his  ambition for a second term.

Ever before the latest publication, the state Assembly, in its assessment of the performance of  2009 budget, indicted members of the executive arm, particularly the governor’s office, of financial mismanagement. And part of the allegations, levelled by the  committee headed by the Majority Leader of the House,  Honourable Kolawole Taiwo, were equally raised in  the publication made by the faceless group.

The group made reference to two helicopters bought by the state government for security surveillance, saying that the cost was inflated, but it was gathered that the helicopters were initially contracted to a company  which the former state governor had interest in, but the incumbent governor had passed the company  to procure the helicopters on his own  because of the company’s outrageous price, which was quoted for the helicopters.

Although prominent members of the AC had endeavoured to reconcile  the governor and his boss, the reconciliation move, which involved the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu; prominent Lagos indigenes and the National Chairman of the AC, Chief Bisi Akande, eventually saw the duo (Tinubu and Fashola) coming together,  with Tinubu publicly stating that he bore no grudges against the governor because he was his brother and that whenever he had anything against him, he would inform him to resolve the differences.

Nevertheless, this intervention did not preclude the House from carrying out its responsibility of investigating the allegation of corruption. While inaugurating the panel to investigate the allegations of  corruption against the governor, the  Speaker of the House charged the members to discharge their duty without fear  or favour, adding that  the committee had the right to summon anybody or organisation to appear before it and that whoever flouted the directive of the committee would face the music.

Without preempting the panel , perhaps the investigation may not favour Fashola. It was gathered that  there was an initial agreement between the governor and his godfather that he would not run for a second term, and it does not appear that Tinubu has changed his mind on the issue. The House may claim to be independent in its  investigation. But observers say that the political godfather might be pulling the strings in order to determine the outcome of the investigation.

The first attempt to get Fashola out of office, late last year, allegedly failed because it had become too glaring that the House was influenced to do what it did, which explains why the report of the budget assessment by the House has not been made public till date.

It was said that the governor’s move in presenting some incriminating files about his boss to the Economic and Financial  Crimes Commission (EFCC) so as to get back at Tinubu  further exacerbated the matter.

The chances of Fashola surviving the plot against him are slim because he does not control the House and members of the House are not favourably disposed  to him, because it was said that the governor had starved the House of funds on many occasions. And that was the reason the lawmakers insisted on the self accounting law by setting up the  state House of Assembly Service Commission, which the Speaker said would be operational from this year so that the House would be financially independent.

In addition, the lawmakers owe their allegiance to Tinubu because he ensured the emergence of many of them as the candidates of the party, just as he financed the campaign of some. And again, they will need him to realise their future political ambitions.

Over 80 per cent of the AC members  look up to Tinubu, and, what is more, Fashola has never wormed his way into the heart of  members of the party because of his style of governance, which was said to be very unaccommodating. And neither was he prepared to expend money on the party as his predecessor did, thus making himself a foe within the party.

Besides, Fashola’s refusal to constitute the board for the agencies did not go down well with many members of the party because that would have served as an avenue to compensate members who were denied political appointments or those that did not get the party’s ticket for public office.

Although Fashola may not sit back and allow himself to be rubbished just too easily, the fact remains that he would only be fighting a lost battle, if he is not prepared  for it. Therefore, he remains a general without a battalion.

Even among the local government chairmen, none could say he(Fashola) was instrumental to his getting the party ticket;  none owes his election into office to him, but rather through the influence of Tinubu. They are most likely prepared to do the former governor’s bid anytime, any day.

Most of the state commissioners  were said to have got the jobs through Tinubu’s influence and it was only recently that Fashola succeeded in getting a little fraction of the exco to his side. However, even if any of the commissioners misbehave, it is doubtful if he has the power to sack them, since he is just perhaps a de jure governor, while Tinubu remains the de facto governor.

The protest organised by the groups, Lovers Of Raji Fashola (LORAF), Coalition of Youth for Good Governance (CYGG) and Movement for Good Governance (MGG), in support of Fashola, recently, seemed  to be a belated effort. Nevertheless, they have proved the point that the governor too has his admirers, and his achievements, so far, had been noticed and appreciated.

But if the political godfather were to organise an anti-Fashola rally, he would definitely pull more crowds than those in support of Fashola. The protest rally has even come under criticism by the House because in the estimation of the lawmakers, those involved in the rally were a rented crowd, as the manner  in which they comported themselves showed that they were not members of the party.

Commenting on the issue, one of the lawmakers, Honourable Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu I), said that he suspected that the protesters were a hired crowd because they were unruly and didn’t even recognise the chairman of the party, Chief Dele Ajomale, when he was appealing to them to keep the peace.

Nevertheless, if the plot against Fashola is not cleverly hatched, it might boomerang because he has proved himself to be an achiever and any move to oust him from office might not go down well with Lagosians. The public might react negatively to it and symphatise with him by voting against the AC in the next election, hinging their decision on the fact that the party does not appreciate achievers.

If Fashola is keen to recontest, he would voluntarily get political parties ready to adopt him as their candidate because he is a sellable material and any party that presents him as its candidate is likely to get more votes from the electorate.

The way the impeachment game plays itself out will determine the future of AC in the state. And although the opposition parties have decided to lie low for now, they will definitely want to cash in on the mistake of the AC to propel their parties and position them to take over governance in  the state.

The panel set up to investigate Fashola has about two weeks to present its report. How members of the panel go about their onerous task will determine if they are being influenced or not. In any case, it was reliably gathered that the plan to impeach the governor has been slated to take place within the first quarter of the year, so that any controversy or brouhaha that ensues could be taken care of before the electioneering year approaches.

In order to pacify the people of the state, Tinubu is reported to have scouted for another replacement, who is also generally accepted in the state. The said candidate was once an aspirant for governorship position in the AC, but he left the party for another to actualise his governorship ambition in 2007, in revolt against the imposition of Fashola by the former governor.

The House will be making history if it succeeds in removing the governor. It will be on record as the first Assembly in the state to impeach a sitting governor, while Fashola would also be the first governor  in the state to be  impeached since its creation 43 years ago.