- Lawmakers reject return
- Lagos APC promises quick resolution
- CP explains police action
“I am back as Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly,” Mudashiru Obasa declared yesterday after returning to the chamber, one and half months after he was removed by his colleagues.
He repudiated his removal by 36 of the 40 lawmakers, saying it was a nullity.
Obasa arrived at the Assembly complex with two lawmakers – Ayinde Akinsanya (Mushin 1 Constituency) and Noheem Adams (Mushin Constituency 2) – accompanied by policemen and a handful of supporters.
Ironically, Mrs. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, who was installed as Speaker following Obasa’s removal, had her police security detail withdrawn.
They were returned later, according to Commissioner of Police Jimoh Moshood.
Obasa said he presided over plenary and thereafter adjourned sine dine.
But some of the anti-Obasa lawmakers who shoved him aside on January 13 showed up at the Assembly complex, fuming over his action.
They urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to intervene.
The aggrieved lawmakers, led by House Committee Chairman on Information, Strategy and Security, Stephen Ogundipe, addressed reporters at the Assembly complex in Alausa Ikeja and moved to State APC secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, to lay their complaints before state chairman Cornelius Ojelabi.
They reiterated their rejection of Obasa as Speaker, warning against the consequences of his return.
The Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, who confirmed their visit to the party office, said the situation was under control.
“The party has received complaints from the lawmakers. The party is stepping in. In one or two weeks, the party would have resolved everything,” he added.
Also, a highly respected party elder, who was part of the reconciliation committee set up by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve the conflict, said there was no cause for alarm.
“All the parties in the dispute just have to calm down for peace to reign. There is a need for patience,” he stressed.
The former secretary of Lagos APC and two-term House of Assembly member, Lanre Ogunyemi, recalled that initially, the party had frowned at the resort to removal without carrying the leadership along.
“The party leaders and elders are bothered by the indiscipline and neglect of channels for ventilation of grievances and crisis resolution. The Lagos APC has a tradition, methods and Protocol.”
Obasa, who was abroad when his colleagues removed him, told reporters on his return that his removal was unconstitutional and unacceptable.
He also filed a case in court seeking the nullification of his colleagues’ actions.
The Assembly crisis has also polarised the highest advisory organ, the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the state chapter of the ruling party, the traditional institution and the state government.
No justification for my removal, says Obasa
Obasa, who spoke with reporters, maintained that the position of the Speaker is not vacant, stressing that he was removed in error.
He said: “There is nothing like impeachment and I have said it openly. The impeachment or removal or whatever it is called is not undemocratic and unconstitutional.
“But to achieve that, you must follow the 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.”
Obasa added: “I do not have anything against anybody. All my colleagues have always been my brothers; loyal, and dedicated with a strong commitment to serving 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. APC is a family party, everybody has his or her opinion. Obasa is the Speaker.”
Speaking during a television interview last night, Obasa explained that he presided over plenary and adjourned sine die.
He also said that his relationship with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was cordial, adding that there is no crisis in the APC, which is one family.
Obasa maintained that there is no faction within the party and that the decision of the party is supreme.
He also claimed that Mrs. Meranda had resigned as Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker.
Obasa claimed that Meranda openly told leaders of the APC in Lagos at a meeting at Marina, Lagos Island about her resignation.
He was responding to a question about why Mrs. Meranda’s security detail was withdrawn while his own was restored.
“When my own security personnel were removed even when I was not around without my knowledge, without my consent, did I complain? Obasa asked.
He went on: “There was a meeting that took place in Marina where we had in attendance all the party leaders.
“Openly, Meranda herself made the statement that she had stepped down, she had resigned.
“So, when you resign from an office, the paraphernalia of the office would be taken away. What are you saying?”
Lawmakers: on removal we stand
The lawmakers dismissed Obasa’s claims that his removal was unconstitutional and did not follow due process.
Ogundipe, who spoke on behalf of the lawmakers, said Obasa’s return was shocking.
He said: “We were approached by our leaders to remain calm and take things easy.
“We were 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 are not happy and we are shocked to see what is happening, despite the fact that this is Lagos, the Centre of Excellence, where everything starts and stops.”
Ogundipe added: “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 appealing to the leadership of our party that we cannot continue this way.
“We have been taken 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 security operatives, 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’s return in its totality.”
Meranda’s police details fully restored, says CP
CP Moshood dismissed claims that Meranda’s police escort withdrawal was politically motivated.
He said the operatives were recalled for personnel audit.
He made the clarification at a press briefing last night, where he reiterated there was an ongoing personnel and arms audit by the police across the country.
The withdrawal of security detail from Mrs. Meranda’s residence generated controversy as it coincided with the restatement of Obasa’s detail.
But the CP said Obasa wrote to the police alleging a threat to his life and requested armed protection.
He reemphasised that the police have maintained neutrality and stayed out of politics in the Assembly leadership issue, urging the public not to drag the service into political matters.
The CP said: “There is an ongoing Police Personnel Audit of our personnel attached to eminent personalities, individuals and groups, and their legal status.
“This is a statutory laid down procedure, which is not limited to Lagos State.
“The same practice is going on in various commands across the country without any issues.
“This is to ensure that the police personnel are accounted for, including their firearms and other crime-fighting equipment in their possession.
“We are doing this to ensure that they are on their duty post and that their firearms and equipment under their custody are not misused.
“This exercise will equally avail the command the opportunity to discover where police personnel are posted without approval, and those that are on illegal duties and unapproved duty posts, so that we can withdraw those on unapproved duty posts, illegal duty and invalid approvals, and redeploy them on duty to police posts, police stations, police divisions and area commands to provide security and safety for all residents and visitors.”
The police chief explained that with less than 18,000 police strength to secure more than 20 million people, there was a need for more personnel to be at police posts, stations, divisions and the command for the safety and adequate protection of life and property of all the people of the state.
He said: “The ongoing police personnel audit is done in the public interest and not with any consideration except for the safety of all in the state.
“As we speak, the audit of the police personnel attached to Hon. Mojisola Meranda has been completed and the armed police personnel attached to her from the State Police Command have been returned to her for her protection.
“It is pertinent to state that the ongoing police personnel audit has been on for several days now, and prominent personalities and individuals have been complying with the process. The exercise, once again, is not aimed or targeted at any individuals.
“For prominent personalities or business executives that have no valid approval, or having policemen that are with them under unapproved beats, they are implored to revalidate their approval for those with invalid approval, or apply afresh to the Inspector-General of Police for their request to be approved without any delay.”
APC restoring discipline, says Ogunyemi
Ogunyemi described the storming of the Assembly by Obasa as a reprisal against his illegal removal on January 13.
He said Obasa’s removal was an ambush against the party leadership in Lagos, adding that it was a clear affront to the Party Leader, President Tinubu, who was kept in the dark about the situation.
Ogunyemi added: “It is most worrisome, the extent to which discipline has declined in the party.
“The honourable members should remember that the party gave them the platform to contest before they were elected.
“To, therefore, turn their voices and backs against the party and the leadership is to be deviants.
“They certainly cannot be above discipline, directives and orders from the leadership.”
