A pro-democracy youth group has criticised the recent actions of the sacked former Lagos Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa in his bid to take over the State House of Assembly, warning that a repeat of “storming the parliament” will be sternly resisted with a commensurate force.
The group described the event at the Lagos House of Assembly as a direct attack on democratic institutions and the rule of law, however, called for the independence of the legislature and for President Bola Tinubu to call the ousted ex-Speaker to order.
Youth Bureau’s Northern Coordinator, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq made this known in a chat with newsmen on Monday in Lagos.
Olokoba revealed that several pro-democratic groups have vowed to defend democracy in Lagos state and will not watch one man desecrate the system with personal interest. Adding that a former speaker can seek redress legitimately in court than disrupt the rule of law in Lagos state.
He asserted that forceful seizure of the legislative chambers undermines the very foundations of the Nigeria’s democracy, warning that next time Obasa tries such, he should then be ready to face resistance.
“What we witnessed at the House of Assembly, where the former speaker Mudashiru Obasa stormed the Lagos State House is unacceptable, we won’t take it again because it represents a troubling pattern where might is increasingly valued over right.
“We assure Obasa that if he storms the parliament again, it will be a balance of force.
“No more to forceful seizure of the legislative chambers which clearly undermines the very foundations of our democracy. The parliament is the bastion of democracy and we insist on its independence.
“We call on our amiable President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to wade into the issues and help avert the chaos that is looming in the state,” Olokoba said.
Meanwhile, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have insisted that Mrs Mojisola Meranda remains Speaker of the parliament and has not resigned.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Stephen Ogundipe, made this declaration in Lagos last Friday after the ousted former Speaker Obasa declared on Thursday that he had returned as Speaker of the Parliament.