Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president, has harshly attacked President Bola Tinubu for his silence over the current issue in the Lagos State House of Assembly, calling it an implicit endorsement of anti-democratic strategies meant to undermine members’ will.
In a statement released on Thursday by his media assistant Paul Ibe, Atiku denounced what he called “backdoor tactics” and the deployment of state-sponsored security forces to allow former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa to return, even though the vast majority of Assembly members had removed him.
According to reports, despite the majority of parliamentarians disagreeing with his return, Obasa invaded the Assembly complex early Thursday, proclaimed himself Speaker, and held a plenary session with just a few lawmakers.
Given the recent claims made by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the President exercises selective political control, Atiku contended that Tinubu’s reluctance to step in raises grave questions regarding his dedication to democratic practices.
“Despite his undeniable sway over Lagos politics, President Bola Tinubu has said very little about the issue. By ignoring the situation, he appears to be implicitly endorsing the anti-democratic tactics used to force his favorite candidate on the Assembly members against their majority will. “This quiet is deafening and extremely alarming,” Atiku stated.
Politics in Lagos Is Now a Values Battle
Tinubu has been accused by the former vice president of turning Lagos politics into a battleground where “strong-arm Area Boy tactics” are replacing Omoluabi principles of integrity, justice, and public service, and power is maintained through pressure rather than discussion.
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It is imperative that those who supposed to be Nigeria’s primary protectors do not undermine the country’s hard-won democracy. He said, “We implore all good-hearted Nigerians to continue to be watchful and determined in protecting the integrity of our democratic institutions.
Atiku urged Tinubu to guarantee that due process be followed in resolving the Assembly leadership problem and to openly condemn any attempt to undermine democracy in Lagos.
