Atiku has urged President Tinubu to stop interfering in state matters amid the Lagos Assembly crisis.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that amid the political crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has insinuated that President Bola Tinubu is behind security operatives’ invasion of the assembly.
Recall that the Lagos State assembly has been enmeshed in an unresolved crisis since the lawmakers impeached former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and replaced him with Mojisola Meranda in January.
On Monday, February 17, 2025, the House of Assembly was thrown into commotion as Department of State Services (DSS) officials and police operatives stormed the assembly premises.
The security operatives sealed off the Speaker’s office, but her colleagues and staff members forced the door open.
Reacting to the drama, Atiku issued a statement via his official X handle condemning the presence of security personnel in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Attributing the crisis to President Tinubu, Atiku asked the president to focus on bringing Nigeria out of its lingering economic crisis rather than “interfering in the state matters.”
“The viral video of armed security operatives invading the Lagos State House of Assembly is utterly reprehensible and stands condemned. It must be subjected to a full and thorough investigation. It is bewildering that the invading operatives reportedly have a mandate to enforce a leadership change in the House.
“It is appalling that it is those who claimed to have fought for democracy that decided to sanction this crass desecration of the state’s foremost legislative body, and by so doing, putting our hard-earned democracy in jeopardy,” Atiku said.
The viral video of armed security operatives invading the Lagos State House of Assembly is utterly reprehensible and stands condemned. It must be subjected to a full and thorough investigation.
It is bewildering that the invading operatives reportedly have a mandate to enforce a…
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) February 17, 2025
The statement reads further, “This act is an attack on the sanctity of democracy and a landmark of indignity to the Nigerian electorate, especially the people of Lagos. Whatever may have caused the leadership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly is an undercurrent that is not abnormal in a system of democracy.
“The purported invitation of armed security operatives for a conflict resolution in a parliament is an anathema that should be frowned upon and interrogated with all sense of urgency. Tinubu should focus on bringing Nigeria out of the mess he plunged the country into rather than interfering in the state matters.”
Meanwhile, the security operatives have debunked the claim that they invaded the assembly complex, saying they were invited to prevent an alleged move to reinstate Obasa as speaker.
