The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, has distanced himself from the claim by the Public Procurement Agency that his office got N2 billion to purchase rechargeable fans, rechargeable lights and fridges.

He also claimed that his wife got N2.5m each for her monthly outreach to indigents and empowerment programme as against the N30m captured by the agency.

We had earlier reported that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Hamzat, have come under criticism for approving N7.5 million to replace liquid fragrance in Sanwo-Olu’s office and N2 billion to purchase rechargeable fans for the office of Hamzat.

Hamzat, however, in a memo signed by Director, Finance and Account, Tola Ekemode, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the office of the deputy governor, said the report by the agency was untrue, mischievous, fake, and unfounded.

Ekemode said, “It is important to state that truly, the office did get approval and awarded the provision of supply items (rechargeable fans, rechargeable lights and fridges) for the sum of =N=2,017,840 (Two Million, Seventeen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Naira) as against the =N=2,017,840,000 (Two Billion, Seventeen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira as reported by Doherty in his purported letter.

“In addition, the report that the office through the Wife of the Deputy Governor spent =N=30,000,000 monthly for outreach to indigents is inaccurate as the amount stated covered the whole year. It is =N=2,500,000 per month. Same for the Empowerment programme by the Wife of the Deputy Governor which also =N=2,500,000 per month as against =N=30,000,000 monthly reported.”

He called on the agency to take immediate action in addressing the issue by giving the general public a true account of what was approved.

“The Office of the Deputy Governor wishes to state in unequivocal terms, for your immediate action and the attention of millions of readers that the report is untrue, mischievous, fake, and unfounded.

“We are compelled to write this letter due to the inaccuracies it conveyed; as the story was completely different and not a true reflection of what we have in our records. Also, we would not allow some individual(s) and journalists with mischievous inclination to bring the personality and name of the Deputy Governor, his wife, and the office to disrepute.”