Fashola N78.3 Million Website Scandal: BudgIT Threatened

Officials of BudgIT have said they have received threats regarding their role in exposing the alleged corrupt practice by a former governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

The firm, which serves as a tool for redefining participatory governance, played a huge part in raising questions regarding Fashola’s personal website, which was reportedly built for N78 million+ with Lagos tax-payers’ money.

Fellow Nigerians, there are WAYs to end CORRUPTION. Contract Transparency is one of them. http://t.co/r27fcqQz6f http://pic.twitter.com/0810yfaIyT

— BudgIT (@BudgITng) August 7, 2015

Owing to this, BudgIT, in a press statement signed by Oluseun Onigbinde, its lead partner, has cried out saying their are threats directly referencing their tweets which gave insight on the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency website for the “Upgrade of www.tundefashola.com website post May 29, 2015 Handover.”

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The statement went on to state BugIT’s position on the very controversial issue. It stressed the point that the firm has no political interest as they do not take funds or seek untoward favours from government officials or politicians.

It was further made clear in the communique that BudgIT will not be intimidated by the threats. The full press statement by BudgIT can be read below:

We Refuse To Be Intimidated

In the last week, a lot has been said about the work BudgIT does. Our motives have been questioned, our support from trusted partners queried, accusations made against our staff – and now we have received new information about threats.

These threats directly reference our Tweets about information published on the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency website for the “Upgrade of www.tundefashola.com website post May 29, 2015 Handover.”

We are disheartened that in a democracy, threats are being made over the mere fact that a civic organisation highlighted public finance data to none other than the public. We reiterate that the information was, and (at the timing of this statement), still is on the website, and therefore in the public domain, and therefore legally open to scrutiny by BudgIT. We have made no accusations, neither have we published any (secret) document or violated any government rules.

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We are at a loss as to why these threats should be made, as our actions were motivated by nothing more than our role as an institution respected for data-driven advocacy for accountability, transparency and openness in the management of public funds in Nigeria.

We state once more that we have no political interest as we don’t take funds or seek untoward favours from government officials or politicians. Our relationship with government institutions has always been on intersecting civic engagement with institutional reform and this is mainly funded by international donor support. We also want to state that we are not interested in any timing as regards the motives of this as we have only highlighted a public document published on May 13, 2015. We advise other Nigerians to interrogate the document and ask questions as responsible tax-paying citizens.

We hereby place our fellow Nigerians, the Inspector-General of police Solomon Arase, and the Lagos State Commissioner of police Ajani Owoseni on notice, should anything happen to any member of our staff or persons affiliated with BudgIT in Lagos and our focal States of operation.

READ ALSO: Read How Ambode Is Battling Fraud In Lagos State

Therefore, should any parties with vested interests take issue with our airing of information paid for by taxpayers (including BudgIT staff), then the legal courts are open to them as an option to seek recourse and we encourage them to make use of this option, rather than take the criminal option of making threats. The most effective way is to allow a democracy operate as a democracy; and allow past and serving public officials remain beholden to the people they swore to serve.

The labours of our heroes past, who died that this democracy may come to pass shall never be in vain. The dreams of the ordinary Nigerians who died at the polls, who die every day because of corruption, insecurity and waste motivates us and necessitates us to reiterate: WE REFUSE TO BE INTIMIDATED.

Meanwhile, a former national deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to spread his anti-graft campaign to Buhari’s close associates, two former governors of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola.

The former PDP chieftain said in a statement that it would be incorrect for Buhari to claim he is fighting an anti-corruption war and at the same time be considering Fashola for a ministerial appointment in the light of the N78.3m of taxpayers’ money spent on his personal website.

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