An escalating leadership dispute in the Lagos State House of Assembly has drawn sharp condemnation from All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Fouad Oki, who warned that the crisis could spiral into a “mother of all state legislative crises” in Nigeria.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, Oki compared the turmoil in Lagos to ongoing crises in other states, saying, “If you see what happened today, you will begin to look at Rivers State, the mayhem that is also consuming Osun State, you look at what is also happening in Kano, you put all of these together, and it will be like a child’s play to (that of) Lagos.”
The standoff intensified on Monday when armed security officers from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the Assembly chamber, preventing Speaker Mojisola Meranda from entering. The disruption continued for hours before Meranda presided over the session, visibly emotional as lawmakers passed a vote of confidence in her.
The tussle began after Mudashiru Obasa was ousted as Speaker, with Meranda subsequently elected. However, Obasa has challenged his removal in court, asserting that the process was illegal.
Oki condemned the ongoing turmoil, labeling it a “show of shame” and a “setback for democracy,” and reiterated his commitment to defending democratic values. “Today is a sad day for me and indeed for all lovers of democracy in Nigeria,” Oki stated.
He added, “Enough of begging and enough of appeasement. We will again put our lives on the line to defend democracy if necessary.”