You lack the authority to remove or install your Speaker– Lagos House of Assembly told
You lack the authority to remove or install your Speaker– Lagos House of Assembly told
Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State, has addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the Lagos State House of Assembly as regards the speakership position of the House.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the controversial removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker and the election of Mojisola Meranda on January 13, 2025, the prominent APC leader revealed that while lawmakers hold influence, they do not have the absolute power to appoint or remove their leadership.
He also emphasised that neither the GAC nor the party were consulted in the decision-making process.
The dispute has led to both Obasa and Meranda now staking claims to the Speakership of the House of Assembly, further intensifying the political tension.
As the highest decision-making body within the APC, the GAC has held multiple meetings with the lawmakers involved in the crisis, seeking to resolve the matter amicably.
Speaking with newsmen, Olusi said, “Members of the GAC are not members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to allegedly be behind the removal of Obasa. It can’t be true.
“We read it also that morning. The lawmakers carried it out without consulting the party and those of us in the GAC. That is our position.
“We invited all of them and insisted that all of them are products of the party. They lodged their complaints and we listened to them.
“I blamed them for one thing and that is for not lodging the complaints earlier before the party. It is for the party to decide, they (lawmakers) have no absolute power to remove and install their leaders.
“Nobody can become a member of the House of Assembly unless sponsored by a political party and the sponsors are the inspectors.
“The problem is the speaker (Obasa) and his colleagues which had led to his removal. It is a disputer among them.
“Currently, there is a high powered committee of the party led by Chief Bisi Akande and members, including Aremo Olusegun Osoba, and former APC National Vice Chairman, South-west, Chief Pius Akinyelure and others,
“They are working and making efforts to resolve the matter. I know they are in consultation with the House of Assembly, Obasa and the other Speaker, Mrs Mojisola Lasbat Meranda.
“Those of us in the GAC and the Chairman of the Party, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi are doing all within our power to assist the committee.”
This is contained in a statement signed by SP Ramhan Nansel, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state made available to Journalists on Sunday in Lafia.
Nansel said that the operatives attached to Angwan Lambu Division, Keffi, arrested the fake soldier following an intelligence-led operation.
The PPRO explained that the suspect was apprehended while dressed in military camouflage.
“Upon interrogation, he confessed to impersonating a soldier and engaging in armed robbery.
“Further investigations revealed that he is a member of a criminal syndicate operating in both the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.
“The syndicate operates wearing full military uniforms with a black, unregistered Toyota Avalon, targeting unsuspecting members of the public traveling between Keffi, New Karu, and the FCT.
“He lures victims into his vehicle under pretenses before robbing them of valuables, such as money and mobile phones,” Nansel added.
The police spokesperson said that based on investigation, the other two members of the syndicate remained at large, and efforts were underway to bring them to justice.
He said that the Commissioner of Police, Shettima Jauro-Mohammed, urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement to the police to curb criminal activities in the state. (NAN)
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NLC warns FG against planned electricity tariff hike, threatens nationwide protest
NLC warns FG against planned electricity tariff hike, threatens nationwide protest
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly urged the Federal Government to abandon any plans to increase electricity tariffs under any pretext, warning it will lead mass resistance against such hikes.
The union’s statement comes amid ongoing concerns about rising utility costs and its impact on Nigerians.
In addition, the NLC issued a stark warning to telecommunications companies, threatening to shut down their operations if they fail to implement the agreed-upon 35% tariff hike, as opposed to the 50% increase previously approved by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).
The NLC’s stern stance was delivered in a communiqué following its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Yola, Adamawa State.
The union’s leadership also expressed firm opposition to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) ongoing reclassification of electricity consumers.
They accused NERC of an unfair attempt to push consumers into higher tariff bands under the guise of service improvements, branding it an unjust and extortionate practice aimed at burdening the masses.
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Senator Natasha falsely accused me of s3xual assault too – Ex-Presidential aide makes revelation
Senator Natasha falsely accused me of s3xual assault too – Ex-Presidential aide makes revelation
Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has recounted a distressing incident involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who falsely accused him of making sexual advances towards her.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Omokri detailed how a dispute with one of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s associates led to false accusations against him.
Omokri, who was embroiled in the controversy, asserted that he was able to clear his name by presenting irrefutable evidence.
He provided documentation proving that he was not in Nigeria at the time the alleged incident took place, effectively debunking the claims made against him.
Omokri’s statement follows recent accusations made by Senator Natasha against the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, relating to sexual advances.
Omokri’s statement reads: “I have been inundated with calls from almost all major media outlets in Nigeria to interview me about the issues involving the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Natasha Akpoti. These media organisations wanted my take, seeing that I was once accused by Senator Natasha Akpoti of the exact grave allegations that she is now accusing the Senate President of.
“Against my will, I have been trending on various social media platforms, and for the sake of my family, it would be best to put this matter to rest. Rather than speak with multiple media outlets, perhaps I can ease the pressure on me by putting out this statement.’
“I do not know if what Senator Natasha Akpoti accused the Senate President of is true, as I was not physically present when the alleged events took place. However, I can testify that Senator Natasha Akpoti once had an altercation with me on social media over a post where a woman made advances at me and I rejected her and stated that my wife is a beauty queen and is more than enough for me.
“Apparently the woman is or was a friend of Senator Akpoti. And after I had scorned her friend’s advances, Senator Akpoti accused me of sexually harassing her at Aso Rock Presidential Villa, during a reception held for the visiting Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, when he visited Nigeria between May 4 and May 7 2014.
“Unfortunately for Senator Akpoti, during those dates, I was sent to the United States of America as President Jonathan’s special envoy. I met and was photographed with multiple U.S. officials, including State Department officials, in Washington, D.C.
“I then published a First Class British Airways ticket and my passport (which was a different class of passport from the regular Nigerian passport and requires a special kind of stamp), proving that I was not in Nigeria on the dates Senator Akpoti alleged I sexually harassed her.
“After I published that evidence, Miss Natasha Akpoti, as she then was, deleted every trace of her allegations against me and the video she had made insulting me, my wife and my newborn daughter.
“As I was pondering the next steps to take, a very influential and respectable man from my ethnic nationality, reached out to a prominent Christian clergyman, who mediated between him and I. The gentleman greeted me in my mother tongue, Itsekiri, and was most gentlemanly and expressed regrets over the incident, and I was prevailed on by the clergyman to reach an out-of-court settlement.
“Thereafter, I dropped the matter since my name had been cleared, and the out-of-court settlement was adequate.
“That is the extent of my encounter with Senator Natasha Akpoti. I hope the media can now leave me alone, as I am reluctant to grant any interviews or get entangled in this matter, seeing as I have the highest respect for the man who reached out to me to settle the matter.
“As for the Senate, I have the highest respect and confidence in that institution and its leadership and believe that the right thing to do would be to institute a Senate investigation by the appropriate committee to determine the veracity of the present allegations.”