Month: <span>March 2020</span>

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday lifted the suspension of two lawmakers, Moshood Oshun and Raheem Kazeem.

Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, made the announcement at the start of plenary activities on the floor of the House.

According to Obasa, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, called a meeting earlier in the week to intervene in the matter.

The Speaker said at the meeting, it was agreed that the House should reinstate the suspended lawmakers.

Recall that aside the suspension of the two members, two other principal officers, Olumuyiwa Jimoh and Rotimi Abiru, who were the former Deputy Majority Leader and the Chief Whip, respectively, were relieved of their offices.

Recall also that the sanctions was slammed against them by their colleagues on Monday March 9.

Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon. ( Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa has debunked the malicious allegations peddled against his person by Sahara Reporters that the he awarded the Assembly contracts to his personal companies.

The Speaker stated this at plenary Monday, March 23, 2020, corroborating the report of Mr. Sanni Azeez, the Clerk of the House, who stood in defence of the House of Assembly to state that the House has never at any time had any business dealings with the listed companies as published by Sahara Reporters.

Mr.Azeez debunked the false publication in its entirety. He said “We have never done any business with the listed companies, it is only surprising to see such publication”

The Speaker made it known that , there is a company called De-Kingrun but it has never done any business with Lagos Assembly.

In his words “It is unfortunate that Sahara Reporters would publish such falsehood without any evidence, this is indeed negative journalism”.

The Speaker further dared Sahara Reporters to bring forth evidences to proof that the assembly awarded any contract to those companies mentioned by Sahara Reporters.

Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday dispelled claims in some quarters that the purchase of official cars for members was shrouded in secrecy by the leadership of the House.

The members, who spoke on the floor of the House during plenary, said they practically begged the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, to buy them Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).

There had been claims and allegations that the House, under the Speaker, purchased 80 cars within a year and at the sum of N2.4 billion.

In a petition which was said to have been sent to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) with the title:
“PETITION AGAINST LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, MUDHASIRU OBASA ON GROSS FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT, CRIMINAL BREACH OF PUBLIC TRUST AND ABUSE OF OFFICE,” Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak of the Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) claimed that popular demand necessitated the petition.

“Further to a popular demand by some members of the public to our office, this petition is written to acquaint your agency EFCC, with the gross financial misconduct and the abuse of office being perpetrated by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honorable Mudashiru Obasa, for a thorough investigation so as to avert a further bleeding of the public treasury under his care and restore sanity in the functioning of the states legislative establishment.

“The Speakers desecration of his office for which a probe of his activities becomes necessary is in twofold: one, his financial recklessness and cornering of public funds through illegitimate means; and two, the corruption and compromise of laid down procedures and rules deliberately foisted on the workforce of the Assembly,” the petition read.

But the lawmakers said the decision to buy the SUVs, a Toyota Prado for each member, was taken at a parliamentary involving the members.

The lawmakers said that during the parliamentary session in question, while some wanted the value of the cars converted to money, others opposed the earlier decision by the Speaker to get them a Toyota Fortuna.

The issue of the petition was brought to the attention of the lawmakers by Hon. Rotimi Olowo representing Shomolu Constituency 1 under ‘matter of urgent public importance.’

Olowo told his colleagues that the petition was malicious and against the good image of the House.

“It was stated that the House bought vehicles worth N2.4 billion. Since I joined the House of Assembly, we always got two vehicles before the end of the Assembly.

“In 2007, I got a vehicle and a back up vehicle before the end of the Assembly. The vehicles are always budgeted for and it has been like that right from the time of Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

“We always told the Speaker that the 8th Assembly could not wind up without a back up vehicle for each of the members.

“The Speaker used to tell to us that the resources were not available and we later got the back-up in April, 2019.

“In the 9th Assembly, we just got our official vehicles in November/December, 2019.

“None of the 11 new members got two vehicles. We insisted on Prado Jeep and Mr. Speaker didn’t want to give us, but we insisted on it.

“We are all beneficiaries of the largesse and yet we go about making insinuations and leaking information to the whole world,” Olowo said.

Olowo further noted that the petition was full of lies meant to spoil the leadership of the House.

“We also said that the buses that we were using for committee works were bad and we insisted that he should buy a new set and he did,” he said.

He was supported in his argument by other members who agreed that they all collectively took the decision to purchase the cars.

In his reaction, Speaker Obasa stated that the issue was not about official vehicles, but the backup vehicles and the money spent purchasing them.

“The official vehicles for the 9th Assembly was the issue. It was a deliberate action to paint the House in bad light. The people that stole the vouchers that were leaked to the press is the issue.

“I thank you for all you have said about the petition. We have discussed issues relating to divulging the discussions in the House.

“I said that the issue that came out in the Guardian Newspaper is traceable to Hon. Moshood Oshun.

“He was asking me for documents of the vehicle given to him, he was the one that called me on the telephone that his vehicle was seized by Customs officers.

“I once said that someone stole the vouchers of the vehicles. Where did he get it from if not for the role played by a member of the House.

“The writer of the petition is close to Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh. Some of the things he wrote were parts of what we have discussed,” he said.

Speaker Obasa then declared that if those who had been disciplined by the House were responsible for blackmailing allegations being spread.

He denied any crisis in the Assembly but said whatever was done was collective.

“We have been sitting and we have been having parliamentary meetings. We must stand by the truth and the truth would set you free.

“There is no decision we take that we did not discuss in the Assembly. There is nothing hidden about the purchase of the vehicles, you can cross-checks,” he said.

He also recalled that it was Hon. Rotimi Abiru, the former chief whip, who said that it was a failure on the part of the leadership of the Assembly that they were not given backup cars and houses then.

He then wondered why the same Abiru was going about with information that are against the demand he made of the House.

Members of the Lagos state House of Assembly unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa days after the suspension and demotion of four of their colleagues.

The 34 lawmakers, who were at the sitting, said their confidence in the speaker stems from his unending passion to unite the Assembly and the members in spite of few opposition elements.

The votes were taken by the lawmakers raising their hands to support the motion moved by by Hon. Rotimi Olowo, the member representing Somolu Constituency 1 and seconded by Hon. Desmond Elliot representing Surulere Constituency 1.

Part of the vote of confidence, according to the lawmakers, was to prove that the impeached deputy chief whip lied when he called the Speaker a dictator in a recent interview he granted a national daily.

The lawmakers said as far as they are concerned, the House was peaceful and that the Speaker is not known to take unilateral decisions.

In moving the motion, Olowo argued that the Speaker deserves commendation for the way he had led the House and brought more respect to the state Assembly.

He described Speaker Obasa as a democratic, responsible and reliable leader.

“A vote of confidence should be passed on him,” Olowo urged.

His call was was supported by majority of the lawmakers with the raising up of their hands.

The Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. ( Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has expressed his commiseration with the victims of Abule – Ado’ s gas and pipeline explosion that occured today, Sunday, March 15, 2020, at Abule – Ado area of Amuwo – Odofin Local government area of the state.

Obasa , in a statement released by his media team said his heartfelt sympathy goes out to the people who lost their lives, valuables and property in the unfortunate incident.

” I pray that God in His infinite mercy will grant you all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss of your loved ones and property” he said.

” We on our own part, as part of the government will do everything possible to avoid such a disaster and collosus loss of lives and property in future”, he added.

Obasa also use the opportunity of the unfortunate incident to advise Lagosians to be safety conscious at all times by making sure that they avoid living close to dangerous areas such as petroleum pipelines and gas depots.

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday set up a committee to look into the recent removal of two principal officers and the suspension of two members.

The House took the decision at a special parliamentary held within the Assembly complex.

The Committee is headed by Hon. Ibrahim Layode, a senior lawmaker from Badagry Constituency 1.

Speaking after the special parliamentary, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Publicity, Strategy and Security, Hon. Tunde Braimoh, noted that what concerns the House currently is a resolution of the action of the House concerning the affected lawmakers.

“Those who are being reprimanded are our colleagues, they are not outcasts, and we belong to the same political party.

“We are mindful that the image of the House is at stake and we want to tell you that the people affected are not outcasts, they are our colleagues.

“The committee headed by Hon. Ibrahim Layode is looking at the amicable solution to the matter.

“All the issues about offices, access and others would be addressed by the committee,” Braimoh said.

The Information Committee chairman, while briefing House correspondents after the special parliamentary in the presence of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and other members, added the election of the two replacements for the impeached principal officers followed due process.

According to him, the only two offices that are constitutionally recognised are those of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Others,he said, are done in-house.

“They are nothing to worry about, they were done accordingly. All that we did were done according to Order 10 Rules 68 to 72 of the Business Rules of the House.

“We are in the process of conflict resolution. We don’t want to talk about what constitute gross insubordination and indiscipline.

“All the negativity that they are spreading about is exaggerated.

“There would be conflict and this is part of any society. That does not mean there is a sharp division or there is break down of law and order in the House,” Braimoh explained.

“The Speaker is here, the Deputy Speaker is here, all the principal officers are here and all the other lawmakers are here, apart from those that have other things to do and those that are under suspension that are not here.

“There is no problem that is beyond solution. It is just that when things are working there could be some disagreement here and there, that does not mean that we will go for the jugular,” he said.

On his part, the new Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Noheem Adams, explained that his emergence as a principal officer was based on the decision of the lawmakers and that he was not desperate.

The new Chief Whip of the Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Meranda, also noted that the House is one big family and that there is no rift among the lawmakers.

The Speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has insisted that the political empire of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in Lagos remains intact and strong.

Obasa made this statement on Wednesday following reported insinuations of friction between him and Bayo Oshinowo, a former member of the state Assembly and current senator representing Lagos East at the National Assembly.

According to the Speaker, instilling discipline among members of the State House of Assembly does not equate with friction in any form between him and members of the party.

Obasa stressed that Asiwaju Tinubu has gone through a lot building the APC in Lagos and Nigeria adding that nobody in his right senses would do anything to be a clog in the wheel of the party’s progress.

“Tinubu remains everything to the continued success of the party he built from the scratch and nurtured up to this moment.

“It is unarguable that his resilience, love for democracy, passion to see his foot-soldiers grow and belief in discipline cannot be measured.”

Obasa maintained that the party in Lagos remains united and that what happened recently at the House of Assembly involving the removal of two principal officers and the suspension of two others was a measure to ensure that the legislature remains strengthened and its sanctity maintained.

“The legislature must remain strong at all times, especially in relation to Nigeria’s democracy because it is often the hardest hit when issues in the democratic journey pop up.

“This is why during plenary on Monday, March 9, 2020, I made this proclamation:

”The parliament is a heartbeat of every democratic system, its sanctity, integrity and positive reputation should be guided and protected, hence discipline is a key and where it’s lacking, the hope of the people fizzle.”

To further prove that the House of Assembly is united, Obasa said 33 members of the House sat at plenary on Tuesday with the newly elected principal officers including the deputy leader carrying out their tasks as expected.

The Speaker further denied any rift between him and Oshinowo, popularly called Pepper, who he described as a friend, mentor and with whose support he had excelled in legislative activities.

Emphasising this cordial relationship, Obasa said he was with Oshinowo on Tuesday and that they both drove in his convoy.

“I was the one that dropped Senator Oshinowo off on his way to Abuja yesterday. If there was a rift between us, will that happen?” The Speaker asked.

The Lagos State House of Assembly late Monday named two lawmakers as replacement for the principal officers impeached earlier in the day.

The members, after plenary unanimously elected Hon. Noheem Adams from Eti-Osa constituency I, as the Deputy Majority Leader while Mojisola Miranda representing Apapa constituency I, was elected as the new Chief Whip.

Before their election, Hon. Noheem was the chairman of the committee on Public Private Partnerships while Hon. Miranda was in charge of the committee on Job Creation.

Their election comes hours after the impeachment of Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh as the Deputy Majority Leader and Rotimi Abiru, who was the Deputy Chief Whip.

The two officers were removed by their colleagues after a voice vote.

The House had also suspended two other lawmakers, Hon. Moshood Oshun from Mainland Constituency 2, and his colleague, Kazeem Raheem Adewale from Ibeju Lekki Constituency 2.

They were suspended indefinitely for alleged gross misconduct and other infractions said to be against the rules guiding the House and its operations.

Reading our the suspension, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, relied on the provisions of the House’ Rules and Standing Order.

He had noted that the Legislature is the hope of the people of the state but because of the conducts of the affected lawmakers, the hope seemed to be missing.

“It is of this notes that I invoke Orders 68, 71, (4)(a)(b)(11) and (111) of the Rules and Standing Order of the House in respect of gross misconduct and insubordination, actions that can destabilise the House,” he said.

* Observes first reading of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Bill and Animal Bill, 2020.

*Commits Land Use Charge Regulations, 2020 and Stamp Duty Regulations 2020 to House Committee on Finance.

The Lagos State House of Assembly removes Chief Whip, Hon. Rotimi Abiru representing Shomolu II and Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh representing Apapa II at Plenary on Monday, 9th March, 2020.

The request was unanimously moved according to the provisions of the Rules and Standing Orders of House by 27 Honourable Members with the approval granted by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

Consequently, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, noted that the Parliament serves as the heartbeat of every Democracy and its sanctity and positive response is key, and therefore should be guided, hence the need to discipline.

“It is very obvious that the hope of the people is missing and it is of this notes that I invoke Orders 68, 71, (4)(a)(b)(11) and (111) of the Rules and Standing Order of the House in respect of gross misconduct and insubordination. Actions that can destabilize the House. I thereby vote and move that Hon. Moshood Oshun representing Lagos Mainland II and Hon. Adewale Raheem representing Ibeju/Lekki Constituency II be on suspension indefinitely”. He said.

Earlier, the House committed Land Use Charge Regulations, 2020 and Stamp Duty Regulations 2020 to House Committee on Finance chaired by Hon. Rotimi Olowo representing Shomolu Constituency I to report back in a week.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE
LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

Lagos State House of Assembly at the Plenary on Tuesday calls on Hon. (Mrs) Shulamite Olufunke Adebolu former Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture over poor performance of Y2019 Greater Lagos Fiesta.

This is sequel to the motion moved by Hon. Nurudeen Saka-Solaja, Chairman House Committee on Tourism Arts and Culture for the need to question the Commissioner on how funds allocated for the Fiesta was expended.

Hon. Solaja, in his submission, said that Lagos State has been known for organising the Greater Lagos Fiesta, since Governor Babatunde Fashola’s regime which is meant to showcase Lagos State as a place where people come to commemorate the crossover into the New Year.

“The Y2019 Fiesta was an eye sore, despite being invited by the Committee to give a brief about the itinerary before the event; The Commissioner said that the Fiesta was going to hold for two days, instead of 7 days. This Fiesta is to occupy the delinquents in the State for the duration and is to be compared with other carnivals, however, the Fiesta turned out to be a disaster and we therefore need to call on the former Commissioner to give an account of the whole process.”

Hon. Rotimi Olowo representing Somolu I, in his opinion supported the motion, that the carnival is not a one man show, as it is meant to be all inclusive because the essence is to promote culture & tourism in the State; however, it ended up being a disaster and one damage can go a long way to disregard the culture, arts and tourism of Lagos State.

Also contributing, Hon. Mojisola Lasbat representing Apapa I sustained the need to summon the ex-Commissioner for Tourism as well as the current sitting bodies that would be involved in the upcoming event. She noted that the event, a 7-day program cuts across all divisions which also helps in keeping the youths and delinquents involved as well as showcasing upcoming talents.

Hon. Tunde Braimoh representing Kosofe II congratulating the mover of the motion ascertains that public servant is public image and to whom much is given, much is expected. “The Constitution mandates and enjoins us that all must answer to the call of the Law and the Commissioner involved must explain how the humongous fund ventured into the Y2019 Fiesta was expended. Tourism is the future of Lagos which can serve as a cash cow if judiciously managed and utilized. The Commissioner must be brought to account.” He said.

Lending his voice, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade representing Ikorodu I, noted that the Lawmakers are representatives of each constituency and there was so much complaints raised against Greater Lagos Fiesta Y2019 which was established to raise the bar of tourism in Lagos and has been improving each year since inception until the turning point of Y2019.

He further stated that the volunteers and sponsors who ought to participate in the event boycotted the event and wide range publicity was not given to the event based on the orders of the organizer and it is pertinent that the bodies involved are called for a total review in order to sustain the interest of the State.

Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu representing Eti-Osa II asserted that the motion is apt as the House needed to investigate for knowledge sake and to reassure Lagosians also to mitigate the effect of the Fiesta’s poor performance.

Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun I, said, “Tourism contributed ₦800bn to the internal revenue and Lagosians made ₦50bn, which is not something that can be wished away especially imagining how much was lost in revenue from the last Fiesta; therefore  we must call on all involved bodies to give account to figure out ways to forge ahead.”

Consequently, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to submit a clean copy of the prayers to the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

In another development, the Lagos State House of Assembly at the Tuesday Plenary unanimously passed the Bill on Lagos Amotekun Corps, a security outfit of the South-West regions.

This is sequel to the third reading of the Bill by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
The Bill seeks to merge the proposed Law that would guide the security outfit jointly established by the South-West Governors.

Prior to the passing of the Bill, the Lagos State House of Assembly had organized a Stakeholders’ Forum which was well attended.

Recalling that at the forum, Rt. Hon. Obasa had declared that Amotekun is a security outfit that had come to stay.

He therefore, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to send a clean copy to the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his assent.