Ikeja, Lagos state – Despite President Bola Tinubu’s peace accord brokered on Wednesday, March 12, among the warring parties in the Lagos state house of assembly, the rift has reportedly refused to abate.
Legit.ng recalls that earlier in March, Mojisola Meranda stepped down as the speaker of the House after a high-powered persuasion.
Amid the leadership tussle that has assailed the Lagos assembly in the last eight weeks, the lawmaker representing Agege Constituency I Mudashiru Obasa regained his seat as the speaker of the 40-member parliament. However, the crisis still reportedly lingers.
After several attempts by stakeholders, the lawmakers, on Wednesday, March 12, finally met with President Tinubu in Abuja, where a truce was reached for the progress of the assembly—in particular, and the state in general.
At the end of the meeting which lasted over two hours, Tinubu directed disgruntled lawmakers to bury the hatchet and work with Obasa, Vanguard reported on Sunday, March 16.
According to a top source who was present at the meeting, Tinubu criticised Obasa and warned him not to incur the wrath of his colleagues in the discharge of legislative duties.
The source added that the president specifically scolded Obasa concerning the amended charges in the suit he instituted reportedly against Meranda. The Nigerian No.1 citizen reportedly asked Obasa to immediately withdraw the case.
The source said:
“Tinubu told Obasa that he would not have survived the financial impropriety if the members loyal to Meranda had also released evidence of the fraud he perpetrated to the media.
“He (President Tinubu) particularly warned Obasa about his bad attitude, disregard for his colleagues and other infractions and assured the members that he would personally ask him to resign and another person will be elected to finish his tenure in office.”
In the same vein, Blueprint newspaper quoted one of the lawmakers at the peace meeting as saying:
“President Tinubu warned him (Obasa) that if there is any future complaint from any quarters, he would be gone. The president said he should let peace reign.”
The lawmaker also confirmed that President Tinubu instructed Obasa to withdraw the pending case in court.
Lagos assembly majority leader dispels defection rumours
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Adewale Temitope, majority leader of the Lagos state house of assembly, strongly dismissed reports suggesting he is among members planning to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).