Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the ongoing crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly, describing it as a dangerous erosion of democratic principles and a throwback to military dictatorship.
In a statement issued by Paul Ibe, his spokesperson yesterday, Atiku decried the political turmoil surrounding the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and the appointment of Mojisola Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly.
He accused state-backed forces of attempting to subvert the legislature’s decision through coercive tactics.
“The events of the past few weeks have exposed the dangerous erosion of democracy in Nigeria’s commercial capital,” Atiku stated.
“Rather than respecting the overwhelming decision of the Assembly members, there has been a calculated effort to impose a preferred candidate through backdoor tactics and the deployment of security operatives.”
The crisis took a dramatic turn two weeks ago when reports emerged that security operatives had stormed the House to enforce a leadership reversal that would reinstate Obasa as Speaker.
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Atiku likened this to the dark days of military rule, calling it a direct attack on democratic governance in Lagos State.
He also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s silence on the matter, arguing that it signalled tacit approval of undemocratic manoeuvres.
“Despite his undisputed influence over Lagos politics, President Tinubu has remained conspicuously silent. His refusal to address the crisis suggests an endorsement of these anti-democratic tactics,” he said.
Atiku referenced a recent statement by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, who accused Tinubu of practising selective machine politics.
He echoed concerns that Lagos politics had become a battleground between the noble values of Omoluabi—rooted in integrity and fairness—and strong-arm tactics aimed at retaining power through coercion.
He called on Tinubu to publicly denounce any attempt to undermine the democratic process and urged Nigerians to remain vigilant in defending the country’s democratic institutions.
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“What happened at the Lagos Assembly is nothing short of an assault on democracy. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to stand firm in upholding the sanctity of our democratic system,” he said.
