7 hours ago
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• As 36 lawmakers reject him, Police restore Meranda’s security details
By Sunday Ani and Christopher Oji
The crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly took a disturbing dimension yesterday, as ousted Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, stormed the Complex, alongside some armed men and forced his way into the Speaker’s office.
Obasa was on January 13 impeached by 32 out of the 40 members of the state Assembly, but he has kept saying that he remains the Speaker, insisting that his impeachment was undemocratic and unconstitutional, as according to him, it didn’t follow due process.
However, he made good his threat that he remains the speaker by forcefully taking over the entire Assembly Complex and holding a plenary with three members in attendance.
Addressing journalists after holding a plenary with three lawmakers, Obasa insisted that he remains the speaker. He said he only went on vacation, insisting that he was in the Assembly to resume because there was no impeachment.
He said he was not against the impeachment as doing so would amount to being undemocratic but insisted that the process was undemocratic and unconstitutional. He, therefore, argued that the proper thing must be done.
“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 the due process. I am not against being removed, if I do that, then, I am undemocratic but all we are saying is that we should 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 committed 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 APC is a family party, everybody with his or her opinion. Obasa is the speaker,” he said.
•36 lawmakers reject Obasa
Meanwhile, 36 members of the Assembly have again reiterated their unflinching support for the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
Addressing journalists at the Assembly Complex, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Mr. Stephen Ogundipe, said the lawmakers were shocked at the turn of events. He appreciated the members of the fourth estate for doing their job in the face of humiliation.
“This is Lagos and this is the Lagos State House of Assembly. 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 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.
“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. They have taken us to court and it is for us to follow due process but what we are seeing today is a charade.”
He described the way and manner the situation is being handled as an embarrassment and totally uncalled for, calling the party leaders to come forward with clarifications. “For me, entering the gate of the House of Assembly was hell. I was stopped by the 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 in its totality,” he submitted
•Police restore Meranda’s security details
The Lagos State Police Command has restored the security details of the embattled Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda.
All the security details attached to the office of the Speaker and her residence were withdrawn yesterday morning.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, at a press conference yesterday evening at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, explained that the withdrawal of security details attached to the speaker and other very important personalities (VIPs) in the state was in line with ongoing audit of Police personnel and fire arms
He disclosed that the same audit is being conducted in other states Police Commands and not Lagos alone.
“Lagos with a population of about 20 million persons have 18,000 police personnel. This is grossly inadequate for a state like Lagos which is centre of excellence.
“The audit will help us to know those on illegal duty, those who are where they are not supposed to be. Once the audit is completed, we start to reassign them to Divisions and Post to help in policing the state effectively.”
Though details of other VIPs affected could not be ascertained as at press time, but it was gathered that Meranda allegedly got all her security details without due approvals from the police.
•Why I challenged my suspension in court –Onafeko
The suspended Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko has given insight into his decision to approach the court following his suspension.
Onafeko, who was suspended on January 13, the same day Obasa was impeached, had approached the National Industrial Court (NIC), to challenge his indefinite suspension by the House. The court ordered for his reinstatement pending the determination of the suit he filed against the state government and others.
Addressing journalists in his office yesterday, he emphasised that he was appointed as Clerk in 2022 to serve a four-year term and was eligible for reappointment under the Lagos State House of Assembly Legislative Service Commission Law.
He also expressed his confusion over the suspension, stating that he was not given prior notice and did not commit any offence to warrant such action.
He said with court order reinstating him as the Clerk of the House, the court has nipped the illegality and the legislative rascality in the bud.
“By implication, the court has ordered that I resume my duties as the Clerk of the House pending the hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed in the suit. The said order has been duly served on the concerned parties.
“This is a victory for the rule of law and ethos of a civil society. The court is, indeed, the last hope of the common man, including the oppressed,” he said.
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