The Lagos State House of Assembly has dismissed reports that 27 of its members have defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Labour Party (LP).
In a statement on Wednesday, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Ogundipe Olukayode, described the claims as “false, misleading, and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.” He further stated that the rumors were an attempt to “sow discord and confusion within the Assembly and among the good people of Lagos State.”
Leadership Crisis in the Assembly
The defection rumors surfaced amid an ongoing leadership crisis following the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker and the election of Mojisola Meranda as his successor. The situation escalated on Monday when armed security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services reportedly prevented Speaker Meranda from accessing the chamber for hours. When she eventually presided over the plenary, she became emotional as lawmakers passed a vote of confidence in her leadership.
While over 36 lawmakers in the 40-member Assembly have pledged loyalty to Meranda, Obasa has rejected his removal, deeming it illegal, and has taken the matter to court.
Assembly Reaffirms APC Unity
The Assembly clarified that the leadership tussle is an internal matter and does not signal any intention of defection.
“These events in no way suggest any intention by members to leave the party. We emphasize, without ambiguity, that no member of the Assembly is contemplating defection,” the statement read.
It further assured Lagosians that the ruling party remains united and focused on governance, attributing the false reports to “agents of destabilization seeking to create unnecessary tension and division.”
