Lawmakers in Lagos Condemn Attack on Rivers Assembly

On Tuesday, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly expressed their condemnation towards the unidentified individuals who set fire to the legislative chamber in Rivers State.

They also denounced the alleged interference of the executive arm of government in the affairs of the state legislature.

During the plenary session, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa called in and urged President Bola Tinubu to request the reopening of the Rivers parliament from Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun. He also stressed the need to protect the lawmakers while they carry out their duties, emphasizing that the parliament should not suffer because of political conflicts among those in power.

“It is essential to always adhere to the constitution. There is no justification for locking up the Assembly since the crisis began in the governor’s office. Even if the lawmakers have disagreements, they should be allowed to resolve them internally without interference from the executive arm,” said Obasa.

“The removal of the sitting Speaker behind closed doors is unacceptable because it violates the constitution. While we understand that impeachments are part of a democratic process, the proper procedures must be followed, whether it is for a Speaker or a governor.

“Where and when did the lawmakers vote to remove the Speaker? How many members opposed the removal? The Rivers governor, in order to save himself, should not sacrifice the House of Assembly or cause a rift among the legislators,” stated Obasa.

“Furthermore, it is important to note that a governor does not have the authority to remove a Chief Judge without the support of two-thirds of the lawmakers. Just as the governor’s office or the office of the Chief Judge should not be sealed off, the same applies to a House of Assembly,” he added.

The House also called on Conference of Speakers Chairman Debo Ogundoyin to work together with his colleagues in order to condemn this act.