2 hours ago
6 ARTICLE AD
The ousted Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has stated that the House must follow the same due process for his removal as was followed for his appointment.
PUNCH Online reports that earlier on Thursday, Obasa appeared at the Assembly complex, declared himself Speaker, and presided over a plenary session with only four members of the House in attendance.
During an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday evening, the embattled Speaker stated that although he was not against his removal, the rules must be followed.
“First, we were on recess. A motion was moved to adjourn till February 18 by the Majority Leader and was well seconded. So, I went on an official trip to Congress in the United States of America. The second trip was to be in Canada for a programme organised for some members of the House.
“So, we adjourned properly. When reconvening, it must go through the Majority Leader, the Clerk, and the Speaker. According to the rules of the House, only the Speaker can reconvene. If that process is not followed, then it doesn’t matter what forgery is being attempted.
“When I was elected as Speaker, the entire House supported me. When I took office in June 2023, the whole House backed my nomination, and I became Speaker. There is nothing wrong if the House decides otherwise.
However, they followed a process to elect me, so if they wish to remove me, they must follow the same process,” he said.
Obasa also disclosed that his successor, Mojisola Meranda, had withdrawn from the Speakership race following a meeting with the party leadership in the state, explaining that her withdrawal led to the removal of her security detail.
“When my security personnel were withdrawn, even while I was not in the country, without my knowledge or consent, did I complain? I did not. There was a meeting in Marina, attended by all party leaders and House members. During that meeting, Meranda openly stated that she had stepped down and resigned. When you resign from an office, the paraphernalia of that office is naturally taken away,” he stated.
When asked whether his troubles stemmed from his ambition to become Governor or from disrespecting the incumbent Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Obasa said, “It is not a sin to have ambition — let’s correct that. Secondly, the Governor is my brother, my leader, and my everything. I have no reason to disrespect him.
“If I have taken any action that seemed disrespectful, it was likely unconscious. There is no reason for me to do such a thing. The Governor is number one in our state.”
