Deborah Akinyosoye
All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, yesterday, said the resignation of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, was not included in the terms of settlement reached in the leadership crisis of the House.
This is coming as Mr Obasa, yesterday, held a peace parley to reconcile with his aggrieved colleagues barely 24 hours after his re-election.
Also, Mr Obasa has promised to withdraw the lawsuit challenging his previous removal.
Recall that the legislators, on Monday, re-elected Mr Obasa after Mrs Mosisili Meranda stepped down as Speaker.
GAC, led by its chairman, Pa Tajudeen Olusi; APC chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi; the Attorney -General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, as well as other leaders of the party, on Monday, met with the anti-Obasa lawmakers to resolve the crisis.
It was, however, speculated that all the parties agreed that while Meranda would resign and Obasa returned as Speaker, the latter, after 48 hours, would also step down as Speaker.
This, according to the source will pave the way for a new Speaker from Lagos West as demanded by the 34 aggrieved lawmakers.
Multiple sources disclosed that the negotiation is expected to be followed by a letter as the anti-Obasa lawmakers are insisting that the arrangement is followed up.
Speaker’s resignation, not in terms of settlement –Lagos APC
Reacting to the speculations making the rounds on Obasa’s resignation, the APC spokesman in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, in a chat with Vanguard dismissed the claim that the Speaker would resign, noting that there was no such arrangement in the terms of settlement during the negotiation period by the party.
Oladejo said: “To the best of my knowledge, there was no time the arrangement for Obasa to resign came up in the terms of settlement of the crisis.”
When asked if Obasa will drop the lawsuit against his colleagues, Oladejo said: “I’m aware that any moment from now, Obasa will withdraw the law suit in the interest of renewed peace and progress of the House in particular and the party in general.”
Obasa holds peace parley
Meanwhile, Mr Obasa, yesterday, held a closed-door reconciliation meeting with 39 lawmakers at the assembly complex, yesterday.
The meeting, which had in attendance the deputy Speaker, Mrs Meranda, started at about 2:10 pm.
The meeting was aimed at calming frayed nerves and woo the aggrieved lawmakers for a new course.
As at press time, the meeting was still on-going.
A credible source, however, hinted that Obasa is expected to drop the lawsuit against the House of Assembly and 33 lawmakers at Ikeja Court.
The source also disclosed that the House has been mandated to resume tomorrow.