The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are not happy with the way the Lagos State government has been handling the issue of the buy-back of the contract for the Lekki-Epe Expressway toll plazas, it has therefore described it as a monumental fraud and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence thorough probe of the entire contract.
According to the party, the details of the contract have been made secret deliberately to Lagos tax payers.
PDP, in a release signed by its publicity secretary, Taofik Gani stated that the buy-back may appear appropriate on the face value, but it was indeed a big fraud and meant to enrich the governor and his predecessor.
According to the party, the contract was morally wrong as road repairs ought to be social service, but it alleged that this one was commercialised because of the business interests of the governor and his predecessor.
“This buy-back is an after-thought that cannot cure the fact that ab-initio, the road contract was deliberately imposed on the Lagos State government to enrich Governor Fashola and his predecessor, two people who are so believed to be behind the toll company.
“It is now very imperative to lift the veil off the incorporation of the company for the public to know that the company, like many others in the state, is a front for the governor and his predecessor to steal in government.
“Stealing in the state has become a norm as far as it is committed by the governor or his predecessor,” PDP alleged.
The party explained that the Fashola government deliberately acquiesced to the toll company to start collection of tolls in a road contract just a bit above 30 percent completion and particularly lacking the expected coastal road.
It further stated that all the necessities on the road are lacking and that the only actual development apparent on the road is the massive, aesthetic toll plazas.
“We have demanded the details of the road contract and we are told the Governor’s Office is keeping it secret while also shielding the Toll Company. Our demand is because Lagosians ought to know the terms of such contract and probably critique the absurdities that may be contained therein. This sudden decision by the governor is thus only diversionary and we demand that the Governor explains to Lagosians why they now have to pay for a road actually constructed by a former governor of the state in 1978 and free of toll plaza.
“We assert that the decision to buy back the tainted road contract is just a conduit pipe to convert money into the pockets of the governor and his predecessor, both of whom are now so engrossed in sponsoring APC in order to further their political ambitions. We thus call on EFCC and the ICPC to immediately commence a probe into the contract buy-back. We must be told how much has been expended by the operator company on the rehabilitation, how much has been paid to the operator company, how much is the expected reasonable commission for such investment and above all, who are the owners of the operator company,” the party stated.
