Funsho Doherty to police: Probe ‘appropriation’ of Lagos funds for Sanwo-Olu’s legal bills

Funso Doherty, a former governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos, has asked the commissioner of police in Lagos to probe the “criminal appropriation” of the state’s resources to the tune of N200 million.

In a letter addressed to the police commissioner, Doherty said the Lagos ministry of justice allocated N200 million to four legal firms for pre-election litigation.

He said the details of the award were found in the January records of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (LPPA).

In the document uploaded by Doherty on X, N50 million each was earmarked for Ahmed Raji & co; Akinboro & co; Babatunde Ogala & co, and Messrs. Femi Okunnu & co.

The pre-election suit was filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of Labour Party (LP) against Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos; Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Instruction to represent and defend Mr Sanwo-Olu Babajide Olusola in suit no; FHC/CS/1979/2022- Peoples Democratic Party VS Independent National Electoral Commission and 42 ORS,” the project description reads.

I recently requested both the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and Auditor General to conduct independent investigations into the contract awards by LASG for personal legal services in partisan litigation. pic.twitter.com/He1MKMy9Df

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— funsodoherty (@funsodoherty) December 12, 2023

DOHERTY’S LETTERS

In the letter addressed to the commissioner of police, Doherty said the appropriation of funds from state coffers for the legal services of Sanwo-Olu amounts to criminal appropriation.

“There are four awards by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, as reported by the PPA, totaling N200 million in respect of instructions to legal firms to represent Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu in his personal capacity in a partisan political matter relating to his election nomination process as a candidate within his political party,” the letter reads.

“The fact that such awards went through approval processes and were issued is, in the first instance, unacceptable, alarming and highly irregular.

“Further, any payments made in respect of them would likely be a criminal misappropriation of public funds.

“Pursuant to your law enforcement obligations, I hereby call upon you to undertake an investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding these irregular awards.

“This is especially required because the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, being the reported contract sponsor, may have a conflict of interest in investigating this matter.”

Doherty also wrote a letter to the state auditor-general to investigate those culpable of awarding the contract on Sanwo-Olu’s legal representation.