Metro
Lagos Lawmakers Reject Obasa As Speaker, Pitch Tent with Meranda
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have rejected Mudashiru Obasa as the Speaker of the parliament.
Speaking with journalists at the assembly complex on Thursday, the lawmakers refuted Obasa’s claim that he remains the speaker.
The 36 lawmakers reaffirmed their support for the current speaker, Mojisola Meranda, insisting that she is the speaker of the assembly.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Security and Strategy, Steven Ogundipe, stated that the lawmakers remained committed to ensuring that Obasa’s removal stands.
Ogundipe also called on the All Progressives Congress leadership in Lagos to intervene in the leadership crisis.
He said, “We were approached by our leaders that we should remain calm and take things easy. But we are surprised to see what is happening here today.
“We won’t take laws into our hands, just as we told the staff not to take laws into our hands. But we all belong to different constituencies, and we have our mandate. Whatever has to happen, the leadership should speak with us and not this charade we are seeing.
“We are not happy; we have been law-abiding. We have not gone out of our way against the state. We also want to be respected and to be given our dignity. To be shown that we are elected. I’m appealing to the leadership of our party that we cannot continue this way.”
Meanwhile, two lawmakers—Ayinde Akinsanya (Mushin Constituency I) and Noheem Adams (Mushin Constituency II)—were spotted accompanying Obasa into the Assembly complex.
Obasa, alongside security officials, had stormed the assembly complex and entered the Speaker’s Office around 12 noon on Thursday.
The development followed the withdrawal of the security aides of the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
The assembly has been embroiled in a leadership crisis since Obasa’s removal as speaker and the subsequent election of Meranda.
Obasa was accused by over 90 per cent of the lawmakers of poor leadership style, perpetual lateness to legislative functions and plenary, high-handedness and disregard for colleague lawmakers and the executive, especially the governor, abuse of office and privileges, intimidation and oppression of members among others.
In an attempt to resolve the crisis, some All Progressives Congress bigwigs, notably former governors of Osun, Ogun and Lagos states, Chief Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba, and Akinwunmi Ambode, respectively, among others, on the directive of President Bola Tinubu, had a series of meetings last weekend with political stakeholders in the state including members of the assembly.
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The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has said that collaboration of security agencies will serve as a vital platform to enhance the capacity of Law Enforcement Agencies in leveraging INTERPOL’s tools to foster peace and security across the nation.
He stated this, according to a statement by the Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations Unit, Mr. Bolaji Kazeem, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), at the workshop on the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) with the theme “Strengthening Internal Security: A Path to a Safer Nigeria” organized by the Ministry of Police Affairs in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force and National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja at the Rockview Hotel in Abuja.
The Minister said that he firmly believed that the insights and outcomes from the Workshop will be critical in addressing the pervasive insecurity that currently afflicts our society.
“We must acknowledge that for decades, our nation has grappled with the chronic issue of criminal victimization, which has severely impacted the safety and well-being of our citizens. In recent years, we have faced an alarming rise in insurgency and terrorism, which have taken on increasingly complex international dimensions,” he said.
He maintained that the erosion of safety in the country extends far beyond the direct consequences of crime, and calls for a robust response to strengthen the internal security framework with the aid of advanced international policing tools.
“As technology evolves, so too must our strategies to combat these threats,” the Minister stressed
According to him, “INTERPOL is a prestigious organization with a membership spanning 196 countries, actively engaged in combating terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime, among other pressing issues. This Workshop is convened with the intent of exploring and understanding INTERPOL’s resources, enabling us to effectively integrate these tools into our internal, regional, and global security efforts.”
Gaidam opined that adopting methodologies akin to those employed by INTERPOL, Nigeria can significantly mitigate internal security challenges in view of the myriad security threats facing the nation today. It is imperative that we embrace international standards to safeguard lives, properties, and infrastructure, thereby fostering economic development and stability. The Minister added
He enumerated some of the remarkable strides made over the past year in fulfilling the mandates of the Ministry namely establishment of a National Criminal Data Fusion Center (NCDFC) for the Nigeria Police Force; 24/7 internet service for the West Africa Police Information System (WAPIS); signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with INTERPOL; automated Police Specialized Services; WAPIS terminals have been provided, granting security agencies access to critical information. and adoption of a legal framework related to the West African Police Information System (WAPIS).
In his goodwill message, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa represented by Major General Olatokunbo Bello, expressed gratitude for the honour given to him to be part of this workshop, noting that due to the rising security challenges in the country, the workshop will provide an opportunity for the participants to rob minds, share ideas and collaborate to improve Interpol activities that will help in the area of tackling the security issues in Nigeria.
The Chairman, Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu(Rtd) stated that security has taken a new dimension in the 21st century and the threats are no longer primarily coming from the conventional (traditional) factors of the usual narrative.
He added that the workshop is entirely INTERPOL driven and National Bureau (NCB) Abuja is going to be of great assistance to the Law Enforcement Agents in the area of intelligence gathering, investigation, and collection of electronic evidence of transnational organized crime and corruption.
Earlier, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Patrick Daaor, reiterated that for the police to wield powers over all crimes require constant structured engagement and collaboration with other national law enforcement agencies, irrespective of their mandates.
According to him, one of the cornerstones of effective internal security is trust between the police and the communities we serve. We must work tirelessly to foster transparency, accountability, and open communication. Community policing should not just be a concept but a lived reality, where citizens feel empowered to collaborate with law enforcement in maintaining peace and security.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. Anuma Ogbonnaya Nlia has said that a Performance Management System (PMS) is a game changer to enhance law enforcement efficiency by providing clear benchmarks for performance evaluation.
He stated this during the official launch of Performance Management System for evaluation, discipline, and promotion of staff at the Ministry of Police Affairs Headquarters in Abuja recently.
Dr. Nlia noted that performance management is not just about measuring outcomes, but about setting clear objectives, monitoring progress, and driving continuous improvement which aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021 – 2025 (FCSSIP 25).
“At the Ministry of Police Affairs, we recognize that the role of law enforcement is evolving in response to the dynamic security landscape. The demand for a more professional, disciplined, and service-oriented police force has never been greater. To meet this demand, we must ensure that every officer, every department, and every unit operates at the highest level of performance. This is precisely what the Performance Management System (PMS) is designed to achieve,” he said.
He added that PMS will ensure that collective efforts translate into improved security, better resource utilization, and, ultimately, a safer Nigeria for all. The Permanent Secretary stressed that it is a tool for empowerment through the provision of structured feedback and performance evaluations.
“we are not only holding officers accountable but also creating opportunities for professional growth, skill enhancement, and career progression. When our officers are well-trained, well-motivated, and well-equipped, the entire nation benefits. Dr. Anuma stressed.
The Permanent Secretary opined that the government aimed at making the public service more effective, transparent, and accountable. It introduces a structured framework where officer’s contributions are assessed against well-defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Dr. Anuma reiterated that through this system, we are fostering a culture where excellence is rewarded, underperformance is addressed, and innovation is encouraged. The PMS will be structured, transparent, and result-oriented which include Goal Setting and Monitoring; Periodic Evaluations; Capacity Building; Rewards, and Sanctions.
According to him, “We believe that with the right support and dedication, this system will transform the way we approach policing and public administration and the success of this initiative depends on the commitment of everyone from senior leadership to the newest recruits in the Ministry.
The PMS Resource Person, Professor Adeyemi Ajayi stated that the PMS was adopted to reinvigorate the Public Service for improved productivity and efficient service delivery adding that the PMS is a replacement for the Annual Performance Evaluation Review (APER) which was considered to be ineffective.
PMS, according to him, reduces the rate of subjectivity and it is expected to be objective focusing on the key result areas where civil servants are expected to deliver key results.
