Why is Obasa being enabled to take the law into his own hands?
Last Thursday’s invasion of the Lagos State House of Assembly by former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, backed by a phalanx of armed policemen and personnel of other security agencies constitutes an assault on the nation’s democracy and the rule of law. According to reports, Obasa forced his way into the premises and seized control of the Speaker’s office occupied by his successor, Mojisola Meranda. Declaring himself the “authentic” Speaker, he then proceeded to hold a “plenary session” with only four of the 40 members of the assembly who are in his camp.
The well reported invasion does not only capture the violent audacity of Obasa and his supporters; it is also an indictment on law enforcement and political authorities at the state and federal levels whose actions and inactions are directly and indirectly fueling the crisis in the legislative arm of the nation’s economic capital. It would be a mistake to treat Obasa’s actions with levity. Apart from the terrible example it sets, it has the potential to inspire similar anarchic actions in other states which would be extremely unhelpful to the nation’s democracy.
Obasa, who represents Agege Constituency I, was removed on 13 January 2025, by 36 out of the 40 members of the House, in an emergency plenary, citing allegations of misconduct, abuse of office and financial impropriety. He was promptly replaced by his (former) deputy, Meranda. 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. More unfortunate is the insinuation that Obasa is being emboldened by some political godfathers from the state whose consent was not sought before the lawmakers removed him as Speaker.
It is difficult to reconcile Obasa’s actions with the well documented facts. It is clear that his support within the Assembly that he led for a decade is largely gone. In the aftermath of the invasion, a majority of his colleagues – about 36 according to reports – came out to condemn his actions and rejected his leadership. He is, in effect, attempting a minority coup against the majority. The whole issue also signposts the dubious roles of the forces and tendencies which support his effrontery, not least the leadership of the law enforcement agencies whose failure to take any action against the policemen who accompanied Obasa on his unholy mission suggests their complicity. Since it is obvious that the former Speaker no longer commands the trust of his colleagues, his enablers must also understand that recourse to blackmail, intimidation and all forms of coercion is unconscionable.
The unfortunate saga has raised pertinent questions. How is it that someone removed as Speaker could be given so much security protection to break into a House of Assembly to ‘preside’ over a kangaroo session? What kind of democracy are we practicing if lawmakers cannot assert their own independence even on matters as simple as who presides over their affairs? Since Obasa has already gone to court over his removal, why is he being enabled to take the law into his own hands? What we are witnessing in Lagos, according to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the 2023 general election, “is a calculated attempt to subvert the will of the legislature through backdoor tactics and the deployment of state-backed security forces to strong-arm elected representatives.”
Now that Obasa and his estranged colleagues have returned to court over various aspects of the issue, we can only hope that the matter will be resolved quickly. But the presidency should be worried about the negative optics and unhealthy speculations that the matter has inspired. It is time to seek a resolution that recognises the rule of law and constitutionality as well as the norms that anchor healthy democratic practice. Public trust in government and institutions is currently low. The priority should be to encourage policies and interventions that deepen and sustain our democracy. Not those that escalate doubt and cynicism.
•Editorial By Thisday Newspaper
