The Lagos state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has voiced its opposition to the plan by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to acquire three helicopters for security and traffic surveillance in the state.
The governor has been at the receiving end of widespread backlash since he announced that the state will purchase an helicopter in November, to assist security agencies in tackling criminal activities and for monitoring traffic gridlock.
But the opposition party is of the opinion that the proposed acquisition by Ambode, is an attempt to embezzle money.
Chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Tunji Shelle, spoke on the matter over the weekend.
“When we talk, people don’t want to take it that we mean well; they will take us as PDP. They say that we are only criticising. But we have been criticising objectively. What about the helicopters they bought before?
Are they generating revenue for the state? Are they just for fun? Where are they located? That was how we made noise about the Sunborn Yacht Hotel sometime ago, which disappeared into thin air. Up till now, they can’t account for the yacht.”
“Now that they want to buy helicopters, what is the cost of running them? They are expensive to run and maintain; the pilots and the crew members have to be paid; at what cost and at whose cost? They want to use it (the procurement) to embezzle money,” he said.
Leave a reply