Speakership: Respect Lagos Assembly Legislative Decision–Rights Group

AYO BADA

Lagos

Rights group, Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) has said that the Lagos State House of Assembly must be allowed to exercise its freedom in conducting its legislative business.

This is as the group cautioned that the decision taking by the legislative body should be respected.

Recall that the house of Assembly removed former speaker Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa on January 13, 2025 and replaced him with Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lawal-Meranda.

Already, Obasa has filed a suit against the Assembly and the new speaker, at the Lagos State High Court, in Ikeja, challenging the legality of his sack.

President of the CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse in a press statement, made available to Independent Newspapers Limited, cautioned that the decision of the LAHA, should be respected.

Omotehinse said that LAHA is an institution that is directly responsible to the people of Lagos State who elected members to serve as representatives, submitting that their decision must not in any way be manipulated.

He warned that democracy should be allowed to deepen in the state devoid of negative influencers and manipulations.

Omotehinse said: “The change in leadership by the overwhelming majority of the members of the house is indeed a reflection of how elected representatives should assert themselves within the purview, procedural and legitimate essence of separation of powers which is a key attribute of democracy.

“The rights to the privilege of the members of the LAHA to choose their leaders or effect change in the leadership when such became necessary and provided such a decision is endorsed by the required numbers of the house has never been in contention.”

The activist added that it is indeed their expectation that members of the LAHA must have considered the overriding interests of their constituents and other stakeholders in Lagos before the change of leadership.

Comrade Omotehinse noted further that “it is our conviction, and correctly so that only bonafide members of the LAHA who must be in the majority as required by the Constitution and rule of engagement can determine how and when to choose their leaders.

“LAHA members must be allowed to exercise unfettered freedom in conducting legislative business!

“The speaker chosen by the majority of members must be allowed to preside over the business of the house without intimidation or harassment.”

He stressed that it is their submission that choice was made on Monday, January 13, 2025, saying that it would therefore amount to “declaration of war on democracy to continue to precipitate the needless crisis to impede the legislative business of the house, and by implication undermine governance in Lagos State.”

The activist recalled that prior to the removal of the former Speaker, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, his tenure was tainted by series of allegations bordering on corruption and abuse of office for which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under the leadership of immediate past Chairperson, Abdulrasheed Bawa commenced investigations.

He said: “Indeed, it is on record that the former EFCC boss interrogated the corruption allegations and was bent on pressing charges against the former speaker before he was unceremoniously removed from office as the chairman of the anti-graft agency.

“It was not surprising that the accusation of corruption against Rt. Hon. Obasa again reared its ugly head in the wake of the crisis that eventually culminated in his removal.”

Omotehinse emphasised that it would therefore be a monumental act of treachery for Rt. Hon Obasa to return as speaker with the barrage of allegations against his person.

“We are of the opinion that the former speaker owes it a duty to come clean of the corruption allegations rather than plotting to reclaim a position he has had the opportunity to occupy for close to 10 years.

“Except there is something beyond the quest to serve, Rt. Hon. Obasa should accept the collective decision of his colleagues in good faith. The speaker of the legislative assembly is only first among equal and should be seen by any occupier at any given time as rare privilege and not an entitlement.