A study finding has revealed that the Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, ‘fell out of favour due to bad politics’ in the state.
The survey, carried out by an advocacy and rights group, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), was conducted among Lagos state residents to appraise the four-year administration of Governor Ambode.
The Executive Chairman, CACOL, Debo Adeniran, who spoke on the result of the study’s findings at the public presentation of the fifth Lagos Open Parliament (LOP) themed: An Enduring Footprint, however stressed that Governor Ambode-led administration ”fell out of favour due to bad politics notwithstanding his good works for the state”.
According to Adeniran, the computation of the findings were based on responses gathered via administration of questionnaire copies administered among members of Community Development Areas (CDAs), Community Development Councils (CDCs) as well as members of opposition, among others.
“This was what we extracted from the media and people of Lagos state and this comparison has given us the edge to say that this governor was good but then politics came in and excellence of performance doesn’t count in the face of bad politics which is against the developmental value rule,” he said.
On CACOL’s partisanship or otherwise in the survey, Adeniran said, ”We don’t influence anything, we can’t influence any political parties but we speak out. We should not be a slave to our opinion and to those who play politics for their favour.”
The Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Sylvester Akhaine, who reviewed the Lagos Open Parliament book launched at the event, said the book, which is a compendium of 600 pages highlighted civil engagement on how elected officers should be made accountable to the electorate.
Akhaine, who was represented by the Research Associate, Centre for Constitutionalism and Debilitation (CENCOD), Lagos, Kenneth Akali, added that holding elected officers accountable will help to improve their performances.
