A pro-Lagos development group, Agenda for New Lagos (ANL), has raised the alarm over plans to use the court to invalidate Hon. Mudashiru Obasa’s impeachment as the Lagos State speaker.
The group, in a press release by its Protem Chairman, Kamal Olorunnisola, said the court judgment to make this happen has already been written and would be delivered next Monday after hearing the case instituted by Obasa in the heat of his impeachment saga, tomorrow, Monday, March 10th.
In addition to the seemingly unending Lagos Assembly drama, the group claimed that the clerk preferred by Obasa, Mr. Olalekan Biilamin Onafeko, was fraudulently promoted through the back door in. 2022 using “Special Advancement” subject only to the approval of the governor.
Addressing the plot to “legalise the recent illegality” at the Lagos assembly, the group, in the press release titled, “Obasa: the ultimate end of the drama”, claimed that “Many of the Assenly members were tricked into accepting that Obasa will subsequently resign after Meranda.
“But unknown to them, it was just a political gimmick. As soon as he was ‘re-elected’ out of damage control, he adjourned indefinitely, obviously awaiting judgement in the case instituted to legitimise the illegalities.
“That explains why, contrary to the pledge to withdraw his case, it continued. They already have the judgment written, invalidating the proceedings that removed him. All machinery has been put in place towards railroading the judge.
“Upon given the judgment, obviously wrong in law, Obasa will direct no appeal on behalf of the Assembly while Meranda is already out of the way.
“The import is that he had never been removed while Meranda was never speaker. The further implication is that the removed clerk will equally return contrary to the resistance of his colleagues, as of right as no valid proceeding would have removed him.
“Then the Oga will have his way and rejoice. Bearing any last-minute change of mind, the judgment cannot change, because it has been written as part of the grand plan to institutionalise Obasa in the assembly,” the group explained.
Shedding more light on the alleged “fraudulent promotion granted Onafeko, the group, which provided the “Special Advancement” letter signed by one Mrs. Folashade Latona, said it was an aberration because only the governor could issue such a letter granting the promotion termed ‘special advancement.
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In the letter dated July 20, 2022, titled: “Special Advancement” and addressed to Onafeko, the terse letter read: “I am pleased to inform you that the Commission (Lagos Assembly Service Commission), at its last policy meeting approved your request for advancement, based upon the recommendation from Lagos House of Assembly.
“Subsequently, you are advanced to the post of Deputy Director, Salary Grade Level 16 notionally and financially from 1st July 2022. Notice of the event will soon be published in the state’s official gazette. Hearty congratulations.”
According to the group, which also provided the phone number of Mrs. Latona for verification and asked why she signed a special advancement letter in place of the governor, these were “some of the aberrations and illegalities that typify the Obasa leadership.”
The group, therefore, appealed to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the civil society and all lovers of Lagos and democracy to pay attention to the reign of terror in the state and the plan to abuse the judiciary because the developments in Lagos could blow over and consume all.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
