Nigerian main opposition leader and presidential candidate of the PDP in 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar has chided President Bola Tinubu for feigning neutrality on the ongoing crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly, describing it as tacit endorsement of violence.
The Adamawa born politician stated this through a statement yesterday and was made available by his media spokesperson, Paul Ibe, condemning what he described as “backdoor tactics” and the use of state-backed security forces to reverse the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, despite his removal by the majority.
Obasa had stormed the Lagos Assembly complex yesterday amidst security, insisting he is still the Speaker, despite opposition from most members of the chamber.
Atiku said that Tinubu’s refusal to intervene raises more concerns about his acclaimed of being a democrat especially in light of recent allegations by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, that Tinubu engages in selective political control.
The statement partly reads, “Despite his undisputed influence over Lagos politics, President Bola Tinubu has remained conspicuously silent on the matter. His refusal to address the crisis suggests a tacit endorsement of the anti-democratic maneuvers aimed at imposing his preferred candidate against the overwhelming will of Assembly members”.
He further accused Tinubu of fanning embers of violence against the noble values of Omoluabi—rooted in integrity, fairness, and public service for a crude, strong-arm tactics of Area Boy politics, where power is retained through coercion rather than consensus.
The former vice president has called on the president to publicly denounce any attempt to undermine democracy in Lagos and to ensure that due process is upheld.
“Nigeria’s democracy was hard-fought and must not be undermined by those who should be its foremost guardians. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute in defending the sanctity of our democratic institutions,” he concluded.
