A lawmaker and Member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Stephen Ogundipe, has disputed the former speaker of the Lagos House, Mudashiru Obasa’s claim to remaining the speaker of the House, despite his impeachment.
Ogundipe, a former Chairman of the House Committee on Information, who spoke on Saturday – yesterday, January 25 – in Lagos, insisted Obasa was removed by a majority of the Members of the Lagos House of Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obasa faulted his removal by lawmakers yesterday in a chat with media representatives at his residence in Ikeja.
Insisting he is still the LSHA speaker, Obasa stated: “My status in the house? I strongly believe I am still the speaker until the right thing has been done. If you want to remove me, remove me the proper way, and I will not contest it.”
But Ogundipe faulted Obasa’s claim, emphasizing that the former speaker’s removal followed due process, and warning that any attempt by Obasa to cause unrest would be resisted by the majority of members who unanimously elected Mojisola Meranda.
Where over two-thirds of the Lagos Assembly members are united behind the new Speaker, it is unparliamentary for Obasa to continue to claim the speakership after being constitutionally removed, Ogundipe pointed out.
“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 unparliamentary,” Ogundipe said.
“The majority of members elected Obasa as Speaker for the 10th Assembly and we also at the said Plenary took a 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, adding that “peace is what we want in Lagos, and peace is what people of Lagos will achieve.”
