A member of Governance Advisory Council (GAC) of the All Progressives Congress, Lagos State chapter, Chief M.A Taiwo and the APC Youth Vanguard has described the removal of Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa as Speaker of the State House of Assembly as illegal, and a disrespect to the party leadership.
The party elder, Pa Taiwo and the Secretary-general of the group, Femi Ayoola, made the remark in a separate statement on Tuesday.
The former speaker who represents Agege Constituency 1 at the House was removed on January 13 by 33 out of the 40 lawmakers that make up the House in an attempt President Bola Tinibu described as a coup.
He was replaced with Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda of Apapa Constituency 1, a former deputy speaker.
On his return to Lagos on Saturday during a reception held in his honour, the impeached speaker faulted the manner of his removal, claiming fake mace was used at the sitting where the action took place.
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He also alleged other improprieties and undemocratic actions including alleged deployment of police officers led by Commissioner of Police in the state to the Assembly for the purpose of his removal.
Lending his voice to the episode, Pa Taiwo in a statement titled, “My take on the ongoing imbroglio at the Lagos State House of Assembly” said Obasa’s removal is illegal, and a disrespect to the party leadership.
He noted that the situation has polarised GAC, adding that President Bola Tinubu has the final say on the matter.
“The act of the lawmakers is illegal. It shows total disregard and clear disrespect for Leadership. The GAC Leadership is split over the matter but we will all defer to our de facto leader, the President of Nigeria,Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve the crisis,” the message reads.
Similarly, Ayoola criticised Senator Musiliu Obanikoro’s vitriolic attack on Senator Adefuye, describing it as non-dignifying.
He said, “Obanikoro describing distinguished Senator Anthony Adefuye’s remark on the Speakership crisis as ‘childish’ does not dignify him nor the GAC itself. If anything, it indicates that Obanikoro, a former Peoples Democratic Party chieftain has a lot of catch-ups to do in the progressives’ circle,”
Earlier, a member of the GAC, Senator Anthony Adefuye seconded Obasa’s stance, saying in an interview: “What he is saying is that he was illegally removed and the procedure was faulty and I agree with him.”
The support to the embattled lawmaker drew Senator Adefuye opprobrium from his colleague in the highest decision-making body of the APC, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
“The statement of Sen. Adefuye on the removal of the former speaker Mudashiru Obasa is very unfortunate, childish and inconsequential.
“Senator Adefuye’s comment shouldn’t have come up, as leaders, if there are serious issues of this magnitude, rushing to make press statement or personal statement on such issues is unbecoming of a statesman,” the former Minister of state for defence and former Nigerian ambassador to Ghana, censured Adefuye.
