The Lagos State House of Assembly is currently embroiled in a leadership crisis following the removal of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa over allegations of fraud.
In response, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Babatunde Bank-Anthony has urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to address the situation promptly.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program, Bank-Anthony emphasized the governor’s responsibility in this matter:
“I expect the governor as well to say something to this. He is the number one man in Lagos State. He cannot ignore what happened yesterday because that is the parliament that he reports to; that is the parliament that makes the law for the state he is governing.”
The crisis intensified when security operatives, including the Department of State Services (DSS), reportedly sealed off the Assembly complex, preventing lawmakers from accessing the chambers. After a prolonged standoff, the legislators, led by newly elected Speaker Mojisola Meranda, managed to convene a plenary session.
Bank-Anthony also addressed calls for President Bola Tinubu to intervene, suggesting that the President should focus on national issues:
“Twenty-six years of democracy in Lagos, Nigeria right? Do you want to keep sucking your mother’s breast at this age? Let us leave this man (Tinubu) alone; he has a bigger headache.”
Obasa, who has represented Agege Constituency I since 2007 and served as Speaker since 2015, has challenged his removal in court, arguing that the Assembly was in recess during the impeachment proceedings.
In contrast, Bashorun Olorunfunmi, a member of the Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), stated that the Assembly operates independently and has the constitutional authority to elect its leadership. He criticized external influences attempting to destabilize the legislative body.
Fouad Oki, another prominent APC chieftain, warned that the ongoing turmoil could precipitate a constitutional crisis with national implications. He urged all parties to exercise restraint and respect the Assembly’s autonomy.
