Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly denounced the invasion of the Lagos State House of Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), describing the action as “utterly reprehensible” and demanding a full and thorough investigation into the incident.
Atiku did not hold back in his criticism, urging President Bola Tinubu to prioritize rescuing Nigeria “from the mess he plunged the country into” rather than meddling in state affairs.
Reports confirmed that on the 17th of February, 2025, the DSS and the Nigeria Police forcefully took over the Lagos State House of Assembly amid a deepening leadership crisis within the legislative body.
Reacting to the development in a statement on his Facebook page, Atiku expressed disbelief at the operatives’ alleged mission to enforce a leadership change in the Assembly.
“It is appalling that those who once claimed to have fought for democracy are now sanctioning this crass desecration of the state’s foremost legislative body, thereby putting our hard-earned democracy in jeopardy,” Atiku stated.
He further condemned the act as an “attack on the sanctity of democracy and a landmark of indignity to the Nigerian electorate, especially the people of Lagos.”
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Addressing the crisis, Atiku acknowledged that leadership disputes within a democratic system are not uncommon.
However, he emphasized that “the purported invitation of armed security operatives for a conflict resolution in a parliament is an anathema that should be frowned upon and interrogated with all sense of urgency.”
In a final rebuke, he called on Tinubu to redirect his focus toward national governance, asserting, “Tinubu should focus on bringing Nigeria out of the mess he plunged the country into rather than interfering in state matters.”