Kehinde Fajobi
Lagos State House of Assembly member, Stephen Ogundipe, has expressed his determination, along with fellow lawmakers, to oppose any attempts to bring back Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker.
Speaking before the House adjourned indefinitely on Monday, February 17, Ogundipe condemned the presence of security agents in the Assembly, calling it a violation of legislative norms.
“This isn’t governance through force. This undermines democracy and creates chaos. It’s an utter embarrassment and harassment,” Ogundipe said.
“We will not be intimidated. We are united in our support for your leadership, Mr. Speaker. No one can remove you.”
APC lawmaker, Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho II), also weighed in, urging President Bola Tinubu to act swiftly to safeguard democracy.
He called the involvement of DSS officers in the Assembly a “national embarrassment” and appealed for the National Assembly to intervene to ease tensions.
Abiodun Tobun, another lawmaker, echoed similar sentiments, describing the security breach as a serious deviation from proper procedure.
He emphasised that leadership disputes should be resolved through the appropriate channels, not by security force intervention.
“A letter was issued in the House indicating the legal action taken by the former Speaker,” Tobun pointed out. “We have the three branches of government to address this; it’s for the courts, not security forces.”
Tobun continued, calling the incident “unprecedented” and a “disgrace” to the Lagos Assembly, Nigeria, and democratic principles.
Speaker Mojisola Meranda questioned the DSS about their presence in the Assembly, accusing them of intimidation.
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“I’m asking the DSS leadership to clarify why they took over the House, especially with weapons,” she said.
The standoff began on January 13, when Mudashiru Obasa was removed from his position as Speaker over allegations of financial misconduct.
His deputy, Meranda, was then appointed as Speaker. Obasa recently approached the Lagos High Court, seeking to reverse his removal.