Calm returns as Lagos Assembly resumes plenary

• Obasa ‘reconciles’ with Meranda, other lawmakers
• Assembly crisis an embarrassment to democracy, says PDP
Lagos State House of Assembly has resumed plenary, following the reinstatement of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker. However, the heavily armed security presence that marked recent sessions has been notably reduced, signaling a return to normalcy.

But the day was not without its drama as the former Clerk of the Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, whose return to the House had been a point of contention among the lawmakers, arrived at the premises accompanied by armed security personnel. He was reportedly denied entry with his escort but was later permitted, though alone, after a negotiation.

A source within the Assembly alleged that Onafeko had previously forced entry into his locked office after his suspension, and even granting media interviews from within.

The source said that Onafeko might have come to the Assembly to return keys belonging to the House. The day’s primary focus was a parliamentary session convened by Obasa to solidify the agreements reached with the lawmakers prior to his reinstatement.

However, Obasa, yesterday, held a closed-door reconciliatory meeting with 39 lawmakers. The meeting, which had in attendance the Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, started at about 2:10 p.m.at the Assembly’s Complex.

It aimed at wooing the aggrieved lawmakers and calming frayed nerves, as well as charting a new course. But going by the development, Obasa may eventually not resign his position as is widely speculated. It was also gathered that the Speaker would likely drop the lawsuit filed against the Assembly and other 33 lawmakers over his removal as Speaker.

MEANWHILE, the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the recent leadership crisis and chaos in the state’s House of Assembly as an eyesore and embarrassment to democracy.

The PDP Vice Chairman (Lagos Central), Hakeem Olalemi, in a statement, yesterday, said that the leadership crisis, which stagnated the state for about two months, did not only bring setbacks to the state but also to democracy.