Former Minister of Communications, Major-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtrd), on Thursday, declared that democracy died on Monday, March 3, 2025, when the lawmakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly “re-elected” the constitutionally impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, following resignation of Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda from the same position she secured with overall majority from the floor of the State Assembly.
Olanrewaju, who is also the Alternate Chairman De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, made this declaration in a release, copy of which was made available to newsmen, expressing worries over what he termed gradual failing of democracy staring at the citizens on their faces, with the loser becoming a winner on the basis of an agreement.
The former minister, while noting the statement made by the State All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesperson, Hon. Seye Oladejo, on the crisis rocking the Lagos Assembly that “Obasa’s resignation was not in the agreement,” argued that whatever might be the position of the party, this statement had created a doubt on legitimacy and breach of trust by directing Meranda to step down and return to her former position as deputy speaker, after obtaining majority votes as the speaker elected by the House plenary on January 13, 2025.
Olanrewaju said pointedly that the Lagos lawmakers had no doubt been deprived of their democratic choice as the turn of events had indicated, based on APC’s position in resolving the House of Assembly crisis.
The former minister, while noting that conspiracy theory was pointing to the power centre of Abuja in the final decision to resolve the crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly, however, said that only time would tell the citizens of the state whether the outcome from the crisis was a good one or not.
“What further evidence do we need when the APC spokesperson, Mr. Oladejo, has been quoted to have said, ‘To the best of my knowledge, there was no time that arrangement for Obasa to resign came up in the terms of settlement of the crisis.’ A dummy was sold to the public that Obasa would resign on Wednesday, 5th March 2025, when a neural member from Lagos West would be elected to settle on the speaker’s seat and end the positioning quagmire,” he said.
Gen. Olanrewaju said Lagos State politics would need a new roadmap in 2027, given the current political drama as it was being observed now, urging that the indigenes and friends must throw everything into the arena and take the crown.
The former minister, while making the call, said the ruling elites don’t seem to accommodate the indigenes in the governance of the state, sadly noting that the dropping of Hon. Meranda as the speaker left sour taste in the mouths of the state’s indigenous citizens.
“Giving the current political drama as it is observed now, Lagos State politics will need a new roadmap in 2027, and the indigenes and friends must throw everything into the arena and take the crown. The ruling elites don’t seem to accommodate the indigenes in the governance of the state. The dropping of Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as the speaker left sour taste in the mouths of the state indigeneous citizens,” Gen. Olanrewaju said.
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