A disturbing disquiet now surrounds the Lagos State House of Assembly that was yesterday cordoned off by operatives of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) with unclear orders. Dressed in black jackets and helmets and armed, these operatives struggled with the workers in disgraceful videos that have gone viral. We call on President Bola Tinubu, whose name is being frequently dropped by some troublemakers in the state, to call the DSS to order. On no account should there be a breakdown of law and order in Lagos State just because an unpopular Speaker was removed by his colleagues.
While the leadership change was in accordance with the prescribed constitutional requirements, drafting security agents to barricade the assembly and disrupting its legitimate functions is off the books. It is also political bad manners for Mudashiru Obasa to insist on his reinstatement as a precondition to his returning to normal House duties. In the event that he feels wronged by the process of removal, the proper thing to do, especially by a lawmaker, is a recourse to due process of either the House or the Courts.
As we stated in a recent editorial, speakers do not have absolute powers of their own. They are just presiding officers and heads of the legislative branch by virtue of being elected by their peers. In other words, they are first among equals. There is therefore nothing special about Obasa that makes him untouchable. Besides, he is not the first speaker of the Lagos Assembly to be impeached since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999.
From the rumblings that have since followed the change of leadership, it appears the decision does not have the blessing of some political godfathers in the state. Be that as it may, the fact remains that the ongoing rearguard actions to nullify the leadership change are largely unconstitutional. Actions by individuals no matter how highly placed, to interfere in the leadership tussle of the state assembly is a breach of the law. The people of Lagos State expect the House to carry on with its legislative functions while the lawmakers follow due constitutional process to resolve their leadership issues.
Yesterday, all the assembly members in the chambers unanimously passed a vote of confidence on their new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, asking her to continue to steer the affairs of the House. Although Obasa has gone to court to challenge the constitutionality of his removal, he is being aided by some rogue security agents to use extra-judicial powers not only to intimidate colleagues but also to cause confusion in the House. One month on, he has refused to move out of his official quarters.
Already, the Assembly management has written to the security agencies in Lagos that there was credible information that plans were afoot to forcefully reinstate Obasa today as speaker. Signed by the Acting Clerk of the Assembly, A. T. B. Ottun and addressed to the DSS Director in the State, the letter stated that “The impeached Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly plans to resume in office on the 18th of February 2025 as the Speaker, posing a potential security threat to the Assembly and its members.”
We hope that such recklessness will not be allowed to happen. Any breakdown of law and order that results from the present war around the leadership of the House will rub off badly on the governance and reputation of Lagos State. Meanwhile, the casual deployment of security and law enforcement agencies by conflicting claimants to legitimacy in this matter is abuse of power and authority. Either way, the signal to the public is troubling.
