The impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, says his impeachment did not follow due process and that the election of Mrs Mojisola Meranda as new speaker did not follow the law.
Addressing a large gathering of APC members from the Mandate Group at his official residence in Ikeja on Saturday, Basa (APC-Agege 1) said he remained the speaker until the House impeaches him through due process.
He alleged that a fake mace was used to install Meranda as speaker and that hundreds of policemen invaded the House on the day of his removal in order to intimidate his loyalists.
Obasa also alleged that some policemen invaded his official residence on the same day and prevented members of his family and every other person in the house from coming out.
Obasa described all the alleged actions as illegalities, vowing to challenge his removal in court.
He also vowed to go back to the House and resume as speaker.
“The speakership is not Obasa’s title, it is like a general when you go to war, you may come out or you may not come back. So, I am not disturbed, perturbed or worried about the purported removal.
“However, things must be done properly. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police led police officers to invade the State Assembly on the day of the removal, while over 200 policemen also invaded my private residence in Agege.
“They also blocked the gate to my official residence, while they prevented members of my family from going out of the house.
“I am not afraid of being removed, I have been a member of the House for almost 22 years and speaker for almost 10 years and I think I have contributed my quota.
“But why did they have to break the chamber and use a fake mace to carry out the removal?
“If they say they don’t want me again, it is fine, but let them follow due procedure.
“My status in the House is that I believe strongly that I remain the speaker of the Assembly until the right procedure to remove me is followed.”, he said.
He debunked the allegation that spent N16 billion to construct a gate at the Assembly complex, describing the allegation as ridiculous.
According to him, it is not possible to construct any gate with N16 billion.
Obasa also debunked the allegation that he bought 40 Hilux vans for N40 billion as speaker.
The former speaker said he had not done anything wrong to warrant his removal, adding he had lived up to expectations serving as lawmaker for over two decades.
Obasa said he believed so much in the House Assembly and would never partake in its destruction.
But a lawmaker, Mr Stephen Ogundipe, has disputed the former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa’s claim to remain as speaker.
The lawmaker said Obasa was removed by the majority of members.
Ogundipe, the former Chairman of the Committee on Information, said Obasa’s removal followed due process, warning that any attempt by Obasa to cause unrest would be resisted by the majority of members who unanimously elected Mojisola Meranda.
Ogundipe emphasised that over two-thirds of the Lagos Assembly members were united behind the new Speaker.
He noted that it was un-parliamentary for Obasa to continue claiming the speakership after being constitutionally removed.
He stated: “The position of the House remains the same, and nothing has changed.
“The position being canvassed by former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, is uncalled for and un-parliamentary.
“The majority of members elected Obasa as Speaker for the 10th Assembly and we also at the said Plenary took majority decision to remove him and stand by the new speaker. So, nothing has changed.
“All members were elected from their various constituencies across the state and we all have the inalienable rights under the necessary Statutory orders to remove their Principal officers, including the speaker.”
Ogundipe appealed to Obasa to maintain peace and harmony, as his current stance could lead to unrest and not yield positive results.
Crediblenewsng.com
