- ‘GAC will resolve crisis’
Security has been beefed up in the the Lagos State House of Assembly, following the return of the former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, who has rejected his impeachment.
The new House leadership, led by Speaker Mojisola Meranda, has ordered security agents to be on alert to forstall any invasion by aggrieved supporters of the former helmsman from Agege Constituency.
The House leadership, a source said, has also requested the security agencies to change their officers and men at the Assembly complex.
Obasa returned to Lagos at the weekend, alleging thatche was improperly removed as Speaker by 32 of 40 members of the House while he was in the United States.
He insisted that he is still the Speaker, stressing that the impeachment did not follow the due process.
The lawmakers who removed him instantly appointed his former deputy, Mojisola Meranda, as Speaker.
At the weekend, the lawmakers clarified that Obasa was properly removed.
A source said the Party Leader, who was not properly briefed prior to the impeachment, described the action as a coup, adding that the remark may have somehow emboldened the former Speaker to flex muscles.
However, according to the source, the House has put the impeachment behind it.
Also, Obasa’s aides have left the House premises.
But, the embattled former Speaker is still occupying the official residence of the Speaker at Ikeja.
The source said:”Things would be sorted out administratively. He will vacate the residence in due course. He will also leave the office of the Speaker at the premises for his office as as a floor member.”
A notice by the Acting Clerk of the House, Omotayo Adekemi, to “all staff and legislative aides” said they will be thoroughly checked before they are allowed entry into the premises.
It reads:”Regarding management directives, all staff members and legislative aides must present valid Identity Cards to access the House premises.
“Please, remember that entry will be denied to anyone without a valid Identity Card. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter.”
GAC: we will resolve crisis
The Governance Advisory Council (GAC) has wadded into leadership crisis. GAC Secretary Alhaji Mutiu Are, assured that the elders will resolve the internal conflicts through its crisis resolution mechanism.
Are emphasised that the GAC, as the apex advisory organ, will not take sides.
He said: “Whatever is currently going on in Lagos politics is a family affair. As elders, I’m not supposed to take a side.“We would resolve everything because the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), being the apex advisory organ, has its own mechanism in resolving matters like this. By virtue of my position as the secretary of the body, I’m not given express permission to speak on the matter. But I can tell you that we’ll resolve it in a family way.”
Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a GAC member and two-time minister, criticised APC chieftain Senator Anthony Adefuye for publicly supporting Obasa’s claim that his removal was unconstitutional.
Obanikoro described Adefuye’s statement as unfortunate and inconsequential, arguing that individual GAC members should not express personal opinions on sensitive matters without the council’s official pronouncement.
He said: “The statement of Sen. Adefuye on the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, is very unfortunate, childish and inconsequential.Senator Adefuye’s comment shouldn’t have come up, as leaders, if there are serious issues of this magnitude, rushing to make press statement or personal statement on such issues is unbecoming of a statesman.
“Since GAC as a unit has not made any pronouncement on the subject matter, it is irresponsible of any member of that privileged body to go public and make comments on an issue that is as sensitive as that.
“Moreso our leader, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, waded in on the matter. So, I believe nobody should come out individually to express an opinion based on privileged status.”
