Funso Doherty, the pragmatic opposition figure in Lagos

In the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Lagos State, Funso Doherty who flew the flag of African Democratic Congress (ADC), polled 6,077 votes in a contest with over a million voters. The overall winner of the election, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 762,134 votes.

The poor performance of Funso Doherty in that election was not because Lagosians didn’t find him suitable enough. He has the education, work experience and passion to make a good governor.

His failure to make an impact in that election was perhaps because he was a newcomer in a contest with so many moneybags and godfathers calling the shot.

Notwithstanding Doherty’s 6,077 votes, he became the most pragmatic opposition to the Lagos State government, pointing out inconsistencies in their policies, contracts or procurements.

For instance, in May this year, he faulted the plan of the Lagos government to enter a partnership with Oando in delivering electrical vehicles for the state.

Oando was founded by Wale Tinubu, nephew of the president, Bola Tinubu who also doubles as the godfather of Lagos politics.

In an open letter to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Funso Doherty said: “There is very limited transparency around this PPP initiative. Given its proposed scale, public significance, potential cost, and possible impact, the disclosures made by LASG are manifestly inadequate.”

 

READ ALSO

Siminalayi Fubara: Standing up to a godfather who has exceeded his bounds

Also in August this year, Funso Doherty wrote a letter to the Lagos Governor questioning why the State Public Procurement Agency will be collecting admin fees from every approved procurement. He said the admin fee makes it impossible for the agency to question or disapprove request because of the incentive attached for every approval.

Not much of his interventions got traction until on November 18 when he wrote the Lagos Governor to question some over-bloated spending.

In the letter, he noted that N18,468,000 was awarded to the office of the chief of staff for the “supply and distribution of 2,000 Noiler chicken across the local government areas and wards in the state.

The Chief of Staff was also awarded the sum of N440,750,000 for the procurement of a brand new Lexus LX 600 Bullet Proof Sport Utility Vehicle.

More than N2 billion was awarded for items, including rechargeable fans, rechargeable lights and fridge in the office of the deputy governor.

Also N7,475,000 was awarded for the “replacement of the liquid fragrance in the Office of Mr Governor.

On X where the letter was made public, received more than 7.6 million impressions.

The disclosure by Funso Doherty has spurred the media and ordinary citizens to storm the website of the Lagos government to harvest more shocking procurement details.

Funso Doherty started his formal education at Corona School, King’s College Lagos, and University of Lagos where he studied Accounting.

He had his National Youth Service Corp in then Kwara State (now Kogi) where he served as a school teacher at a community school in Okehi local government area.

After his NYSC, he secured a job at Arthur Andersen & Co. (now KPMG).

He later joined Asset & Resource Management Company, then a part of the Guaranty Trust Bank Group, at inception in 1994, where he specialized in investment management, becoming one of the pioneers of the mutual fund industry in Nigeria.