Lagos Assembly Sacks Two Principal Officers, Suspends Two Others
POLITICS DIGEST – The Lagos State House of Assembly has announced the removal of two of its principal officers; the Chief Whip, Rotimi Abiru and the Deputy Majority Leader, Olumuyiwa Jimoh.
Two other members of the House, Moshood Oshun (Lagos Mainland Constituency II) and Kazeem Raheem Adewale (Ibeji Lekki Constituency II), were also suspended indefinitely during plenary yesterday.
Announcing the suspension of the members, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, stated that the House as the hope of the people and the heartbeat of democracy should be well guided.
“I hereby invoke Section 68 and Section 70 4 (a, b) 2 and 3 of the House Rules in respect of gross misconduct, insubordination and action that can destablise this House. I hereby move that Moshood Oshun and Raheem Adewale be placed on suspension indefinitely,” the Speaker said.
The two decisions were supported through voice-votes by members present during plenary.Notice and change in the leadership was contained in a letter read on the floor of the House by the Clerk, Azeez Sanni.
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Sanni stated that the 26 members that signed the letter urged the House “to change the leadership of the House, including Rotimi Abiru as the Chief Whip and Olumuyiwa Jimoh as Deputy Chief Whip.”
According to him, the removal of the principal officers and suspension of two other members came amid speculation that there were critical issues that could divide the House and “that more revelations might come in the coming days.”
Meanwhile, Oshun was blocked from gaining entrance into the Assembly Complex at 8:20 p.m. on Monday.The lawmaker, who was sighted making frantic efforts to gain entrance, was blocked by the security agents believed to be working on instruction.
After several moves by the lawmaker, he was finally turned back after which he drove off.Also, Jimoh was blocked from gaining entrance when he arrived around 8:40 p.m.
Sources disclosed that some members loyal to the Speaker are currently holding a meeting to get replacement for the Chief Whip and Deputy Majority Leader positions and also get a replacement for the committee positions held by the suspended lawmakers.
The two gates to the Assembly have been barricaded.In another development, the House has announced the death of Debo Adegbesan, a Principal Legislative Officer on Grade Level 12, who died in the early hours of Monday, March 9, 2020 at the age of 37 years.
