The drama at the Lagos State House of Assembly took a new turn yesterday as the ousted Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, made a surprise return to the Assembly Complex and forced his way into the Speaker’s office.
Obasa, who entered the complex alongside security officials for the first time since he was removed on January 13, said he has resumed his position as the Speaker. He said: “I was on vacation and I am here which means that the House is on.
There is nothing like impeachment and I have said it openly. The impeachment or removal or whatever it is called is undemocratic and unconstitutional.
“But, to achieve that, you must follow due process. I am not against being removed, and if I do that, then, I am undemocratic; but all we are saying is that let us go through the normal process to achieve that.
“I do not have anything against anybody, all my colleagues have always been my brothers, loyal, dedicated and have the strong commitment to serve the people of Lagos, and we will continue to do that together.
“For me, I have no reservation, nothing against anybody and no intention of victimisation. I do not have any case like removal in court.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is a family party, everybody to his or her opinion. Obasa is back as the Speaker.” Obasa also presided over a plenary session with only four lawmakers in attendance. Ayinde Akinsanya (Mushin Constituency I) and Noheem Adams (Mushin Constituency II) were among those that attended the plenary.
This is despite the fact that the Mojisola Merandaled Assembly had adjourned sitting indefinitely. The development followed the withdrawal of the security aides of the Speaker, Meranda. The Assembly has been embroiled in a leadership crisis since Obasa’s removal as Speaker and the subsequent election of Meranda.
Obasa was accused by over 90 per cent of the lawmakers of poor leadership style, perpetual lateness to legislative functions and plenary, high-handedness and disregard for colleague lawmakers and the executive, especially the governor, abuse of office and privileges, intimidation and oppression of members among others.
Following this latest development, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Mr Stephen Ogundipe, said the members are shocked at what is happening at the Assembly.
Ogundipe said the members have not changed their position in rejecting Obasa in its totality. His words: “This is Lagos and this is Lagos State House of Assembly. We will approach our leaders to remain calm and take things easy. “We are shocked at what is happening today.
They have to tell us where we went wrong. We will not take laws into our hands just as we have also urged the staff members that they should not take laws into their hands.
“We all belong to different constituencies and we have our mandate and whatever happens, the leadership should speak with us and not this charade that we are seeing.
“We have been law-abiding and we have not gone out of our way against the state or anybody. “We have shown every sense of responsibility to show that we have been elected and appeal to the leadership of our party that we cannot continue this way.
“We have taken us to court and it is for us to follow due process, but what we are seeing today is a charade. “It is an embarrassment and totally uncalled for.
For me, entering the gate of the House of Assembly was hell. I was stopped by the security operatives who told me that I cannot enter the Assembly. It is an embarrassment and it must stop!
“We have said it clearly, we are not against the leadership decision, but they need to call us and tell us to our face and not to be hearing rumours.
They should call us and not embarrass us this way. We reject Obasa in its totality.” The media office of the Speaker insisted that she was duly elected by her colleagues, and her leadership was reinforced with a strong vote of confidence.
It stated that the timing of the withdrawal of security, combined with the hostile actions of the former Speaker and his associates, raises serious concern.
However, speaking later to ‘Channels Television’, Obasa, the impeached Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, claimed that Meranda had resigned from her position as the parliament’s leader.
