"Tinubu Must Be Impeached": Afenifere Faction Declares, Gives Reason

• A faction of Afenifere has called on the National Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Bola Tinubu over alleged conflict of interest in the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract
• Its leader, Oba Olaitan, condemned Tinubu’s admission of a partnership with Chagoury, accusing the President of self-dealing
• But reacting, the Lagos APC dismissed the impeachment demand as baseless, arguing that Tinubu's comments were misinterpreted

A faction of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has demanded that the National Assembly initiate impeachment proceedings against President Bola Tinubu.

The call followed allegations of conflict of interest surrounding the award of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract, which the president publicly acknowledged as being handled by his “partner” Gilbert Chagoury.

Chagoury leads Hitech Construction Company, the firm responsible for the project, which is part of a larger real estate development, the Eko Atlantic City.

Afenifere faction criticises conflict of interest

Oba Oladipo Olaitan, leader of the Afenifere faction, expressed outrage over Tinubu's public admission of a partnership with Chagoury and accused the president of engaging in a blatant conflict of interest.

During the inauguration of the first phase of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, Tinubu praised Chagoury’s company for their work, stating,

“To the contractors and my partner in daring, it was tough for us… We came together to tame the Atlantic.”

Afenifere accuses Tinubu of self-dealing

Reacting, Olaitan condemned the statement, asserting that the project appeared to be tailored to benefit the privately owned Eko Atlantic City. He also alleged that the contract was awarded without competitive bidding.

“The road was not advertised for public bidding. It is a national shame. If we had a truly independent and vibrant National Assembly, they would have begun impeachment proceedings immediately,” Olaitan said.

He further questioned the logic of commissioning only a small portion of the road, suggesting that once the section leading to the Eko Atlantic City is completed, the project may be abandoned.

“Why commission just four per cent of the road? That road leads straight to their private development. If that part is done, they may abandon the rest,” he added.

Olaitan urges lawmakers to take action

As reported by Vanguard, Olaitan strongly urged the National Assembly to act swiftly, declaring,

“The National Assembly must prove that it is not complicit. If they are truly independent, they must act now. We cannot condone this. This is not how to run a democracy. The president has admitted to a breach of public trust.”

He called for immediate impeachment proceedings to be initiated, stating that the actions taken by the President showed a clear violation of public trust.

Lagos APC defends Tinubu, dismisses impeachment call

Reacting to the Afenifere faction's demand, the Lagos state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the impeachment call as lacking substance.

Seye Oladejo, the spokesperson for Lagos APC, referred to the demand as “a joke taken too far.”

He argued that Tinubu’s comments had been misinterpreted, stating that the President never referred to Chagoury as a business partner, Punch reported.

“Did he say business partner? He didn’t say they have any relationship or any incorporated firm where they both have shares. He called them ‘partners in daring’; people who believed in his vision and joined in pursuing it,” Oladejo explained.

APC: Lagos-Calabar Coastal contract followed due process

Oladejo further asserted that the process of awarding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract had followed due process.

“Relevant authorities handled the contract process. If there’s any issue, it should be addressed through the appropriate channels, not through calls for impeachment,” he stated.

Tinubu revokes illegal approval for Island creations

Legit.ng previously reported that Tinubu announced that the approval given to developers in some parts Island in Lagos would soon be revoked, adding that there is no more approval for anyone to build on the Island.

The president explained that anyone intending to build on the Island must now obtain approval from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development before commencing any housing development.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng