Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has directed members of his executive council, including commissioners, political office holders and all civil servants to restrain from granting interviews to the media.

The order was contained in a statement by the State Head of Service, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe.

He said no public servant or political office holder in the state must henceforth grant press interviews without due approval.

The Governor added that all those affected must take permission from the Ministry of Information.

The move, it was learnt was to avoid disclosing highly confidential matters to the press .

Fashola had imposed a similar ban during his first term in office.

 


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State chapter has flayed the Governor Babatunde Fashola’s led government over his directive to his commissioners and senior civil servants not to grant the press interview on matters of governance in the State.

PDP said Governor Fashola’s order shows that he “has skeletons in his cupboard and desperate to cover up his misdeeds, even If he has to turn the state into a fully Fascist State.”

A part in the communique signed by its chairman, Capt Tunji Shelle (rtd), said the move was an attempt by the governor to conceal his alleged inanities.

Shelle said: “similarly, such a step pre supposes that all is not well in Alausa and the Governor is panicking.”

The party chieftain added that such a directive can only be sustained in a “fascist regime which the Governor may turn the state into if not checked”, noting that “no wonder the Lagos State House of Assembly is so slow to domesticate the FOI Act, which would allow private persons to get information on the workings of the Government.”

Speaking further, Shelle added that: “we have said severally that Governor Fashola is not on the seat to serve Lagosians selflessly. We have equally stated too that the huge IGR, now over N40 billion monthly, are being shared between the Governor and the ACN leadership.

“Now that the Governor is jittery and has come out to ban his Commissioners and Senior Civil servants from speaking to the Press, then he has admitted failure and misdeeds. We are now indeed vindicated.

PDP recalled that the same Governor had sometime barred certain media houses from covering the State Secretariat, claiming that they are Anti ACN-policies.

“We make bold to say that Governor Fashola is now obviously fatigued of ideas to further govern Lagos State. He is now so overwhelmed by the self imposed pressures and no more has original ideas for Lagosians.

“Lagos state is too sophisticated to be used as experiment. Rather than become a ‘taiwan’ idea Governor, we advise Governor Fashola to apologise to Lagosians and bow out honourably”, Shelle added.

 

First lady of Lagos state, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, ace music producer JMartins, Highlife music star, Sunny Nneji and a few others have been listed among those that would be honoured as Peace Ambassadors by the United Nations on the January 20.

This was disclosed in a statement released Friday by the Universal Peace Federation and Youth Federation for World Peace.
Other Celebrities on the list include: Nollywood actress, HalimaAbubakar, Zaaki Azzay, Osuji Emelda Ahunna( MadamModesty), Dr. Sunny Obazu Ojeagbase Publisher Success Digest/Complete Sport), Publisher of CityPeople Magazine, Seyi Kehinde and Stanley Okoronkwo.
According to the statement: “This event will unfold in 3different categories; Lecture,Awards & Gala Nite in Lagos State and the theme for this year’sevent is Quest for Sustainable Peace In Nigeria. It will hold at 7, Olufunmilola Okikiolu Street, OffToyin Street, Ikeja – Lagos.”