Funso Doherty and Babajide Sanwo-Olu: The facts behind the figures

I have watched Funso’s Arise TV interview with very high expectations and I must say that Mr Doherty met my expectations very brilliantly. He took his time to explain his positions, taking the questions thrown at him by the equally brilliant anchor Rotus with the equanimity expected of a man of his professional stature.

Some of the figures enumerated by Mr Doherty as stated on the procurement website, at face value are downright ridiculous, others are passably respectable and still some appear inescapable which now brings us down to one real question.

Has Mr Sanwo-Olu been reckless in the management of public funds, especially at this time of heightened economic stress being faced by the citizens?

In attempting to answer this question, let’s look at Mr Doherty’s tweet again.

What has really pumped public angst amongst others are the 14 BMW for his convoy at N35 million, diffusers at about N7 million and the deputy governor’s swimming pool at N10 million amongst other such ludicrous expenditures in a state where over 80% live below the United Nations prescribed daily living standards.

Over 7 million people have seen Mr Doherty’s tweet. As explained to Rotus, people were more interested in the little things like the diffusers and the over N70 million spent on presidential portraits and other such ‘little’ expenditures.

Another sore area is the use of public funds to fight a personal battle at the courts. This even though is a general thing nationwide has also irked the people.

In all these, however, my take is that the need for Sanwo-Olu to chase legacy even becomes more paramount than ever and this must be reflected very seriously in his policies and concomitantly in public expenditure.

I think he should begin to look at a streamlined government structure, trimming the excess in governance to free up real cash for developmental projects that would better the lot of the people.

Governance in Lagos is too big. It has been structured to accommodate the ever-expanding rent system which serves as a reward model for political operatives and other such lackeys on the food chain.

The governor has the very best of intent, he is visionary and very up to date on the people’s expectations of a second-term governor, his albatross, however, are the forces he needs to contend with almost on a daily which is now showing in this expenditure profile.

Looking very clearly at the figures, you would see very clearly the struggle to cater for interests, allocate resources to interests and keep interests very happy.

Why this should be the case is very obvious, especially on the back of the riotous elections which nearly saw an upset.

So the need to reward and to ensure continuous loyalty has become very imperative and the figures show it very clearly.

Although Mr Doherty will never win an election in Lagos, not because he is not deserving or qualified, he has well positioned himself to be Mr Sanwo-Olus’s best ally if Sanwo-Olu is really serious in his strive towards attaining the immortality of Alh Jakande, the legendary action governor.

He may do well to reach out to Mr Doherty who has shown handsome clarity and a penetrative understanding of the issues in a bid to forge a partnership that would be devoid of self-interest but a parsimonious desire to work for Lagos.

Mr Sanwo-Olu must as a matter of urgency rid himself of the sycophantic tribe around him, who blur his sights and who in themselves are not even loyal to him and replace them with such brilliant technocrats like Mr Doherty and his ilk if he is to really work for Lagos.

I still believe very fervently in Mr Sanwo-Olu’s capacity to deliver and still stand very firmly by him despite this but I must also be very courageous enough to tell him very clearly, that he really has to do better if we are to avoid the kinds of interviews I just watched on Arise TV.

Thanks.