DSS May Arrest APC’s Ambode Over Criminal Conduct In Lagos

Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, may be arrested by security agencies this week over an alleged criminal conduct. Sunday Tribune reports that the finance expert is likely to be picked up on Wednesday for questioning and possible detention. This follows a petition alleging perjury against Ambode authored by Lagos APC Integrity Group. Copies were submitted to the police and the Department of State Security Service (DSS) last week. Attached to the petition were documents to prove the alleged perjury against the governorship candidate.
The petitioners accused Ambode of lying on oath by claiming in his Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination form in 1981 that he was from Ilaje in Ondo State, only to claim in his APC nomination form, on oath again, to be from Epe in Lagos State, during the governorship primary contest. The former Accountant-General of Lagos State is now said to be under security surveillance, to forestall his escape from the country.
He would be declared wanted if he manages to escape from the country before security agents get to him. A member of the Integrity Group disclosed that the party members behind the petition decided to be open about it so that Ambode’s case would not be couched as impunity on the part of the Federal Government or harassment by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ambode, backed by the party’s national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, last Thursday, defeated 12 others to clinch the party’s ticket. Most had opposed the process leading to the exercise and insisted on indirect primary, rather than direct primary that was conducted. There are two cases at the Federal High Court in Lagos challenging the process and conduct of the exercise.
Ambode’s godfather, Tinubu also faced alleged perjury case after his emergence as the governorship candidate of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999. Late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, pursued the alleged perjury case against him to the Supreme Court.
The apex court however ruled that Tinubu, as governor, had immunity from investigation from the Inspector-General of Police as demanded by Fawehinmi. The court held that the police could make discreet investigation, but it was not permitted to come in contact with the governor in any way in the course of the probe. The governor must also not know that he was being investigated.