Lagos Assembly Crisis Throwback To Military Dictatorship, Says Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the festering leadership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly as a betrayal of democracy and a throwback to military dictatorship.
According to him, the lingering crisis has exposed the dangerous erosion of democratic principles in Lagos State, validating Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s accusation of “selective machine politics” against President Bola Tinubu.
El-Rufai, who was the immediate past Kaduna governor, has been at daggers drawn with Tinubu over the president’s policies and leadership style.
In a statement, he signed on Thursday, Atiku, “The unceremonious removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa by an overwhelming majority of Assembly members and the historic appointment of Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly should have marked a step forward for democracy.
“Instead, what we are witnessing 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.
“Two weeks ago, reports emerged of security operatives storming the House in an attempt to enforce a leadership change that would return Obasa as Speaker. This blatant abuse of power mirrors the dark days of military dictatorship and raises serious questions about the integrity of democratic governance in Lagos State.”
Atiku wondered why President Tinubu has remained “conspicuously silent” on the Lagos Assembly crisis, “despite his undisputed influence over Lagos politics.”
The former Vice President attributed Tinubu’s refusal to address the crisis to his tacit endorsement of the anti-democratic manoeuvres aimed at imposing his preferred candidate against the overwhelming will of the Assembly members.
“This silence is deafening and deeply concerning.
As Mallam el-Rufai rightly pointed out, Lagos politics has become a battleground between the noble values of Omoluabi — rooted in integrity, fairness, and public service — and the crass, strong-arm tactics of Area Boy politics, where power is retained through coercion rather than consensus.
“Nigeria’s democracy was hard-fought and must not be undermined by those who should be its foremost guardians,” Atiku added.
He called on President Tinubu to publicly denounce any attempt to subvert the democratic process in Lagos State and ensure that the principles of fairness, justice, and due process prevail.
“What happened at the Lagos State House of Assembly today is nothing short of an assault on democracy and a throwback to the dark days of military dictatorship. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute in defending the sanctity of our democratic institutions.”
THE WHISTLER had reported earlier, that Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who was on January 13, 2025, impeached as Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, stormed the Assembly complex on Thursday morning with armed security men and retook the Speaker’s seat.
THE WHISTLER had also reported that the security details of Mrs Mojisola Meranda, who was elected Speaker following Obasa’s impeachment, were withdrawn early on Thursday, exposing her to potential attack.
It was further reported that Obasa broke into the Speaker’s office and conducted a plenary session with just four lawmakers of the 40-member Assembly.
Lagos Assembly Crisis Throwback To Military Dictatorship, Says Atiku is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
