A pressure group, The Progressives Alliance (PA) has dismissed media reports that chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Sunday, affirmed the removal of the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa.
Prominent leaders of the party, including former APC national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba; ex-National Legal Adviser of the party, Dr. Muiz Banire, had on Sunday met at the State House, Marina over the crisis rocking the state assembly.
In a statement issued by the Secretary of the group, Comrade Segun Banjo, the leaders held that Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda should step down as Speaker to pave the way for a lawmaker from Lagos West to be elected as the new Speaker for political equation balance bordering on Senatorial Districts.
The group, however, opposed the media report that the leaders approved the sack of the former speaker.
“It has come to our notice media reports about APC leaders’ meeting held on Sunday in Lagos, where it is said that the leaders reached the conclusion that the removal of Hon Mudashiru Obasa has come to stay, and that his impeachment should be commuted to resignation by his colleagues.
“From the standpoint of someone privy to all that went down at the meeting, we make bold to say that the narrative is false, and a misrepresentation of some of the resolutions reached at the meeting.
“To us, the misleading reports making the rounds is aimed at deceiving undiscerning public into believing that Hon. Mudashiru Obasa’s fate has been sealed and he has lost out in the ongoing power game that characterizes the Lagos State House of Assembly Speakership tussle since January 13.
“We have it on good authority that Obasa was not at the meeting while Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda who was present tendered her resignation letter which is in Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s possession.
“We find it curious that the governor has not made the letter public. However, contrary to the said media reports that the leaders approved Obasa’s removal, we reliably gathered that they are on the same page with President Bola Tinubu, who described the action taken by the lawmakers on January 13 as illegal,” the statement signed by the group’s secretary, Segun Banjo, reads.
Besides asserting that the resolution was in sync with an unconfirmed report that the President ordered Obasa’s reinstatement, the group alleged that at no time did the leaders direct Obasa to resign.
It claimed further that the interim injunction of the National Industrial Court, which restored the sacked Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko following an exparte application by Onafeko, is evidence that Obasa’s impeachment was against the law.
Recall that Onafeko was the Clerk of the House before January 13 when Obasa was removed.
The Meranda-led House proceeded to replace Onafeko with Mr. Babatunde Ottun inan acting capacity, an appointment Justice Justice M. N. Esowe overruled in an exparte order.
“That both parties shall maintain the peace and status quo ante bellum until the motion on notice is heard and determined,” Esowe ordered.
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