Though political, Lagosians will need to have heaved a sigh of reduction on the decision of the disaster that trailed the Lagos State Home of Meeting management over the previous a number of weeks. Little question the disaster brewed stress and excessive feelings that threatened to disrupt the peace of the ‘state of excellence’, following a possible conflict of supporters of the ousted Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, and people of different Home members who eliminated him.
Though the deadlock was dramatically resolved when the member was overwhelmingly elected as Speaker to interchange Obasa, Mrs Mojisola Meranda, determined to step down as Speaker, within the curiosity of peace and tranquillity of the home and by extension, of the state. Nonetheless, the entire episode is an instance of an influence present, the place critical authorized and constitutional points have been raised however trampled upon for political consideration, and in a way suggestive that something can go inside the energy brokers, no matter the desire of the individuals, or constitutional provisions.
The individuals of Lagos State have to be questioning if there may be any semblance of decorum or due course of current or remaining within the state. The impression is that no matter legal guidelines or establishments, the participant with the best political muscle will at all times have his manner. This portends solely ill-will for democracy and is detestable.
The drama surrounding the management tussle on the Lagos State Home of Meeting is the newest exhibition of political curiosity by operators of the legislation. The battle was set in movement when the Speaker of the Home, Mudashiru Obasa, was eliminated in absentia on January 13, 2025, by a majority of the lawmakers. Consequently, his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was elected as the brand new speaker.
Predictably, the event generated political tensions that sparked important controversy within the Lagos State political panorama and polarised the All Progressive Congress (APC) apex decision-making physique within the state, the Governance Advisory Council (GAC). Whereas a faction justified Obasa’s impeachment, the opposite facet queried its validity. The preliminary makes an attempt by the get together to well timed nip the problem within the bud fell flat because the matter ultimately snowballed right into a full-scale political disaster.
Always, Obasa maintained that he remained the substantive head of the Home on the grounds of a constitutionally flawed impeachment process. Regardless of in search of judicial intervention on the Lagos State Excessive Courtroom, Obasa was determined to regain and retain management of the Home by way of different means. This motion additional heightened stress across the Meeting Complicated and led to the intervention of safety operatives on the occasion of the Performing Clerk of the Home. Unperturbed by the antagonism, Obasa presided over the plenary on Thursday, February 27, 2025, with 4 lawmakers in attendance.
In a twist of occasions, the embattled lawmaker was unanimously re-elected by his colleagues on Monday, March 3, 2025, following the resignation of Meranda and reversion to her former place as Deputy Speaker (reportedly below political strain). Regardless of the unanimity of the choice, some lawmakers appeared not happy with the Speaker’s return. By some means, the Home maintained the standing quo ante as all selections made throughout Obasa’s absence have been reversed.
Not solely have the collection of occasions amplified the entrenched Nigerian political tradition of impunity and recklessness, however they’ve additionally raised basic questions as to the place the curiosity of the individuals represented lies, and if there was any consideration for it. Does the Speaker’s re-election, with out due consideration for its deserves or demerits not strongly counsel that the Lagos State Home of Meeting is constituted by timid individuals incapable of unbiased reasoning and motion? Has the Home the facility to suo moto reverse all selections made by Meranda, who has been elected as speaker? Does the members’ motion not quantity to a slight betrayal of the individual they held as their chief, solely to show a volte-face days after? Or was the entire drama orchestrated collectively and knowingly by all of the members? These posers want decision if solely to pacify the individuals of Lagos State who appeared to have been taken for a experience. And if the get together masterminded the decision, shouldn’t they clarify their causes to get together supporters?
By advantage of the Proof Act, all official acts executed by Meranda within the capability of a Speaker are presumed common till a courtroom of competent jurisdiction determines the opposite. Though the pending lawsuit instituted by Obasa is arguably overtaken by occasions, the problems raised within the go well with are germane and may, ordinarily, be resolved by the courtroom, which is the one authority imbued with the facility to find out the legality of Meranda’s election as Speaker and all of the actions she subsequently undertook.
Obasa had dragged the Lagos State Meeting and Meranda to courtroom claiming that the lawmakers have been mistaken to have eliminated him when the Meeting was on recess. He, counting on Sections 36, 90, 92(2)(c)101 and 311 of the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 vis-à-vis Order V Rule 18(2) and Order II Rule 9(1)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) of the Guidelines and Standing Order of Lagos State Home of Meeting had contested the constitutionality of the Lagos State Home of Meeting to take a seat throughout recess with out the Speaker reconvening the Home or giving some other individual powers to reconvene the Home. He additional asserted that Meranda’s place because the Speaker violated the aforementioned constitutional provisions and guidelines.
Having invoked the jurisdiction of the courtroom in resolving the constitutional questions posed, it was incumbent on Obasa to have patiently waited for the matter to be expeditiously handled as requested as a substitute of leveraging his get together’s affect to persuade Meranda out of workplace on the pretext of political negotiations. Nonetheless, all of the events concerned within the imbroglio are complicit within the desecration of the hallowed chamber. Your entire matter epitomises the consequence of non-adherence to laid-down guidelines and procedures.
While the contestants have returned to their trench, the one inference drawn from the totality of the matter is that the state legislators have been flexing their muscle tissues, and the strongest of them triumphed over the rule of legislation. The controversy is a theatre of the absurd and a harmful precedent for the extant democratic experiment. The actions of the principal actors are shameful. The esteem of the Lagos State legislature was lowered and uncovered to public ridicule due to the political ambition of a negligible minority.
For greater than two months, political gladiators disrupted legislative enterprise within the nation’s business hub for purely private beneficial properties. By no means once more ought to the federal government of Lagos State allow a replication of the same controversy. With a catchphrase of Lagos State being the centre of excellence, the state ought to allow solely respectable personalities with profound character to take a seat at its helms of affairs. The show of mediocrity and brigandage in important public positions is abhorrent and dysfunctional and needs to be dismantled within the overriding curiosity of all Nigerians.
