Babatunde Raji Fashola ( ; born 28 June 1963) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as the federal minister of Works and Housing of Nigeria from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as the minister of Power, Works and Housing from 2015 to 2019. He also served two terms as governor of Lagos State from 29 May 2007 to 29 May 2015.
Early life
Fashola was born on 28 June 1963, in Lagos at Island Maternity Hospital into the family of Ademola Fashola, a former journalist with the Daily Times of Nigeria, and Olufunke Agunbiade, a nurse. He has 12 siblings.
Legal career
Supreme Court
He was called to the Nigerian Bar as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in November 1988 after completing the professional training programme at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos which he undertook between 1987 and 1988.
Honours
Fashola, a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, has received awards and certificates of merit including the Distinguished Alumnus Award conferred on him by the University of Benin Alumni Association. He is also a recipient of Lagos State public service club Platinum Award for outstanding contribution towards development. As well as Alliance for Democracy " Igbogbo Bayeku Local Government Award" in recognition of activities towards the success of the party.
Babatunde Fashola is also a Patron of the Law Students Association of the University of Benin and he is the second law graduate from the University of Benin and the first member of the Nigerian Law School graduating class of 1988 to be conferred with the professional rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Fashola is also the First ever Chief of Staff to be so honoured. Babatunde Fashola is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Arbitration
In 2008, Fashola was inducted as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb).
Controversies and Corruption Allegations
In August 2023, Fashola ordered the arrest of a man named, Chike Ibezim, older brother of Nnamdi Ibezim, publisher of Reportera, a news platform that sparked rumours that he (Fashola) was caught drafting a judgement in favour of his party in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election being challenged in court. Although Chike, the man Fashola ordered to be arrested, was not the one that committed the alleged act, but his brother, he was arrested and held in detention by the Nigerian Police for 26 days as against the country’s required 24 hours detention limit before being charged to court. Chike’s continuous detention has led to widespread concerns.
On September 9, 2023 the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Works which Babatunde Fashola headed as minister was accused of inflating a road contract from N9.8 billion ($13m) to N54.3 billion ($73m). The road contract in question was the construction and rehabilitation of the 41-kilometre Ijebu-Igbo-Ita-Ibadan Road which had been halted for over five years after its award of contract.
Political appointments
Fashola was Chief of Staff to his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Fashola, had during his tenure as Chief of Staff, also dubbed as the Honourable Commissioner to the Governor's office. Babatunde Fashola was the first person to hold both offices simultaneously.
Babatunde Fashola also served in Lagos state in various capacities, including:
Secretary of the Lands Sub-Committee of the Transitional Work Groups- 1999. Member of the panel of Enquiry into allocation of houses on the Mobolaji Johnson Housing Scheme at Lekki.- 2000. Member of the State Tenders Board- 2002– 2006. Member of the Lagos State Executive Council-2002-2006. Member of the State Security Council-2002-2006 Member of the State Treasury Board-2002-2006 Chairman Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of Asset distribution among Local Government. Minister of Power, Works and Housing 2015-2019 Minister of Works and Housing 2019 to date
Governor of Lagos state
Fashola was the chief of staff to his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
As the candidate of the Action Congress party, now transformed to the All Progressives Congress party, Fashola succeeded Tinubu as governor of Lagos State on 14 April 2007. Fashola was re-elected on 26 April 2011.
