Lagos Assembly: Atiku’s camp condemns power struggle, calls out Tinubu’s silence

The ongoing crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly has raised fresh controversy, with the Atiku Media Office condemning what it describes as a betrayal of democracy and a return to military-era strong-arm tactics.

In a statement signed by Paul Ibe on February 27, 2025, the media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the unfolding political drama in Lagos, linking it to recent accusations by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. El-Rufai had alleged that Tinubu was engaging in selective power politics, a claim that the crisis in the Lagos legislature appears to reinforce.

The statement highlighted the impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa by an overwhelming majority of lawmakers and the subsequent appointment of Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly as a historic moment that should have strengthened democracy. Instead, the Atiku camp accused state-backed forces of attempting to reverse the decision through coercion.

“Two weeks ago, reports emerged of security operatives storming the House to enforce a leadership change that would reinstate Obasa as Speaker,” the statement read. “This blatant abuse of power mirrors the dark days of military dictatorship and raises serious concerns about democratic governance in Lagos.”

The Atiku Media Office also took aim at President Tinubu’s silence on the matter, suggesting it signals tacit approval of the alleged attempts to subvert democracy. “Despite his undisputed influence over Lagos politics, President Bola A. Tinubu has remained conspicuously silent,” the statement noted. “His refusal to address the crisis suggests a deliberate effort to impose his preferred candidate against the overwhelming will of Assembly members.”

Referencing el-Rufai’s remarks, the statement further accused the Lagos political structure of shifting from the “Omoluabi” values of integrity and fairness to what it described as “Area Boy politics,” where power is retained through force rather than democratic consensus.

The Atiku camp urged Nigerians to resist any anti-democratic maneuvers, warning that such political interference threatens the country’s hard-earned democratic principles. “Nigeria’s democracy was hard-fought and must not be undermined by those who should be its foremost guardians,” the statement concluded.

As the crisis deepens, political observers are closely watching how the Tinubu-led government will respond to mounting concerns over democratic integrity in Lagos.