The quicksand of politics has sucked in the Lagos State House of Assembly over the past couple of months, leading to the emergence of two speakers, both laying claims to the seat at the same time. The former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, was removed from office on 13 January by 36 out of the 40-member parliament, over allegations of high-handedness and misappropriation of funds. He denies the charges.
Instantly, his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was nominated and elected as his successor. By that elevation, she became the first female speaker of the assembly in its history.
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But after being under a spell of petulance and feeling of abandonment by the state’s political establishment, Mr Obasa appeared to have found some belated courage that made him force his way back to reckoning last Thursday, with a fortification of security operatives in tow, as he sought to repossess the office of the speaker, which had already been occupied by Ms Meranda.
The office was broken into, alongside other offices in the legislative complex. Mr Obasa then boasted, “I’m back as Speaker, I remain the Speaker of the Assembly,” in response to inquisitive journalists. To make the moment count, he held a brief parliamentary session with the only four lawmakers still loyal to him and adjourned the house sine die.
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“I’m back as Speaker, I remain the Speaker of the Assembly,”
This drama was watched by many of the lawmakers who had elected Ms Meranda as the speaker, from outside the gate, which was securely locked by security personnel. The crest-fallen legislators would probably have entered the chambers to dislodge Mr Obasa and his cohort. But in the end, the pro-Meranda group chorused disdainfully, “We totally reject Obasa.”
Evidently, Mr Obasa’s derring-do is bemusing as he had earlier filed a case against his impeachment at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on 14 February. In jurisdictions where the rule of law matters, or defines the democratic space, his resort to self-help would be considered as an act of violence to the system. Calling it a parliamentary coup would not be out of place. As a matter of fact, the case was first heard in court last Friday and was adjourned to next Friday, 6 March, when the 40 lawmakers are expected to be joined in the suit as co-defendants, following the judge’s directive.
Judging from Mr Obasa’s lamentation after he returned from his foreign trip, following his removal, and the events that preceded it, any observer might have concluded that he had no chance of returning as speaker of the state assembly. By his own admission, his house in Agege was invaded by “more than 200 policemen”, and “My people in Agege were detained. My children did not sleep in this house on that day because they were blocked out, and my wife kept inside.” This could only have been carried out at the behest of higher political authorities.
However, not too long after, the tide began to turn. A series of meetings were held, which involved the all-powerful Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), headed by Tajudeen Olusi, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. This praetorian outfit of Lagos politics was set up by Tinubu before he became the president. From all indications, the council reports to him. At one of such meetings, Mr Obasa and Ms Meranda were both allegedly asked to resign their speakership for three new names to emerge for consideration in the interest of peace. These were high-wire intrigues, as later events have proven.
It was in the wake of these troubleshooting meetings that the Commissioner of Police in the state led a team of officers to invade the assembly complex under the guise of providing enhanced security. That was the day Mr Obasa’s visit to the house was alleged to have been first touted. Now, the fog has cleared, putting context to that weird over-drive in providing security for the assembly.
Eventually, it appears to be no coincidence that the moment when Mr Obasa had his way to the legislative chambers, was also the time that the security details of Ms Meranda were withdrawn, while the former speaker had the full complement of his own details restored. Sensing a backlash, about four security operatives were later returned to Ms Meranda, whereas her full security details comprise 18 officers: 12 policemen, four State Security Service (SSS) operatives and two anti-bomb experts.
We strongly suspect the voice of Jacob and the hand of Esau in this high-stakes political comedy. In other words, the twists and turns, especially Mr Obasa’s reemergence could not have been possible without the political authorities in Abuja being involved. In the shadow of it all is the agency of President Bola Tinubu. Without equivocation and with the benefit of hindsight, he is the supreme godfather in Lagos politics who decides who gets what, when and how. A ready example of this is how a former governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, was denied a second term.
PREMIUM TIMES firmly believes that the Lagos State House of Assembly should be allowed unfettered freedom and its statutory independence to operate as an arm of government, whose functions, powers and mode of operation are clearly spelt out in the Constitution.
Mr Obasa has repeatedly claimed that he is not against being removed from office, on the condition that due process is respected. However, why is he arguing that due process mechanisms were not followed when he is equally using strong arm tactics to stay in office? Should he not have waited for the case he instituted to be resolved by the courts before taking the law into his own hands by reinstalling himself as speaker?
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Clearly, Section 92 (2) (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, states that a Speaker or Deputy Speaker of a state House of Assembly shall vacate office if removed by a resolution of the House and supported “…by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the House.”
Lest it be forgotten, this game of musical chairs in the state’s assembly has its roots in Mr Obasa’s frosty relationship with the governor, over his alleged 2027 governorship ambition, amid the unconfirmed interest of Seyi, son of President Tinubu, also eying the seat; and his purported disregard of the GAC, which appears divided over the Obasa saga.
These issues rose to the front burner when Governor Sanwo-olu came to present the 2025 budget before the assembly. He was not only kept waiting for about three hours but was subjected to the befuddling experience of a jibe from Mr Obasa that he was neither too young nor lacked the experience to run for the office of governor, “whereas those who have been there before me are not better off.” The salvo was not related to the budget presentation. With Mr Sanwo-olu now serving his second and last term, this made Mr Obasa’s splenetic emission, de-tasteful and unparliamentary.
As a two-term speaker of the house since 2015, Mr Obasa has also represented the Agege state constituency six times, as such he has seen it all in the assembly. Therefore, he should acquiesce to the dictates of democratic principles. Lagos people are all ears to hear from the powers behind the throne on how to resolve this quandary. Hiding behind a finger can only worsen the matter.
