Politics
Lagos Assembly to Constitution Review Panel: Criminalise executive interference on legislature
The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the National Assembly to ensure the criminalisation of undue interference on state legislatures and its activities by the executive.
The Assembly, which made its position known at the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution, said, though Lagos is free of such interference by the executive, such cannot be said of other states.
Speaking at the South-West Zonal Public Hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution organised the Senate in Lagos on Wednesday, the Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, who was represented by his deputy, Hon. Wasiu Eshinokun-Sanni, argued that the legislature should be free like other arms of government.
Obasa commended the National Assembly for responding to the concerns of Nigerians on the need to carry out a review the 1999 Constitution to reflect the current realities and challenges.
“We want criminalisation of undue interference on the activities of the legislature, though, this does not happen in Lagos but we cannot close our eyes to the happenings in the nation, whereby a chief executive can just order the House of Assembly to be closed down.
“This should be criminalised, the police officers who also participate in such act should also be punished to serve as deterrent,” the Speaker said.
Obasa also called for removal of railway from the exclusive list to the concurrent list to allow for economic development and integration, among states.
He said that such liberalisation of the railways in the country would further allow economic growth and development.
“If Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and other South-West states want the rail to cut through their states for economic integration, either vertically or horizontally, they should be able to do so because it is best for the states.
“We cannot forever wait on the federal government to take the initiative where we feel we can cooperate and ensure economic integration. We should be allowed to do so.
“So, we want railways matters to be removed from the exclusive and brought back to concurrent which allows economic integration,” he said.
The speaker, who reiterated the need for Lagos to be granted a special status by the Constitution, decried that the state was not benefitting from the 13 per cent derivation despite huge income being generated from the state by federal government.
“The most fundamental flaw we see, from Lagos point of view, is that the provision of the Constitution which gives 13 per cent derivation on natural resource. It is highly discriminatory.
“What should be done is natural and economic resources, which will give Lagos desired leverage because we will be able to get derivation from money collected by NIMASA, (Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency), NPA (Nigerian Port Authority) and Customs here in Lagos.
“What they take away from Lagos is huge. If we get 13 per cent of this we should be able to do more in the state.
“The current Constitution does not take into consideration the economic nerves centre which bear the brunch of these activities. Giving Lagos State one per cent is highly unjustifiable,” he said.
The the two-day public hearing had in attendance senators from Ogun, Oyo and Lagos, various groups and workers’ unions, religious leaders, traditional leaders, civil society organisations among others.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Ngozi Odu, issuing them a seven-day notice to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
The Assembly cited eight specific allegations of gross misconduct as the basis for the move.
This is the third time Fubara and Odu would be facing impeachment proceedings from the Assembly since coming to office in 2023.
Attempts to impeach them in 2023 and 2025, amid political feuds between the Governor and his predecessor and erstwhile political god-father, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had been halted by presidential intervention.
Here are the allegations below:
1. Reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds
2. Unconstitutional misappropriation of public funds
3. Hindering the Rivers Assembly from performing its constitutional duties
4. Illegal appointments of persons without screening by the House of Assembly as provided by the Constitution
5. Seizure of salaries and funds meant for Assembly members
6. Seizure of salaries of the clerk of the Rivers House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi
7. Refusal to implement provisions of the Constitution on financial autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary
8. Withholding of funds meant for the running of the Rivers House of Assembly Service Commission and hindering its activities
Lilian Adebayo, the wife of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, has said that the party will unseat the ruling All Progressive Party at the 2027 election if Nigerians are true to themselves.
Mrs Adebayo made this assertion known on Wednesday during an interview with journalists after an event in Abuja.
According to her, the opposition party has overcome its crisis after the expulsion of its former chairman, Shehu Gabam and others.
She said Nigerians should vote the APC out in the 2027 general election due to the hardship the party has plunged citizens into.
“There is always a crisis in the party; the SPD has been able to handle its own. The problems in the party have been resolved.
“He has a great chance of winning the election if Nigerians are honest with themselves. If Nigerians think that the ones they consistently vote for would move the country forward, they live in denial,” she concerning the husband.
Recall that SDP recently expelled Gabam and other party executives.
The party’s state chairmen on Wednesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police to investigate Gabam over alleged misappropriation.
In a significant political move, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Mbah announced his decision during a televised broadcast in Enugu after weeks of speculation.
He said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
Mbah explained that his decision to join the PDP was informed by the need to reshape Enugu and reorganise the politics of the state.
“Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time, when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.”
Ahead of the governor’s defection, all members of his cabinet had on joined the ruling party.
Governor Mbah’s Senior Media Aide, Dan Nwomeh, confirmed the mass defection in a video posted on his social media handles on Monday. In the video, several government officials were seen openly declaring their allegiance to the APC, chanting praises for President Bola Tinubu and affirming their commitment to the new party.
“Enugu State Cabinet Members join the APC with full chest along with Governor PN Mbah,” Nwomeh stated.
The officials, including commissioners and top aides, could be heard in the video declaring, “We are now in APC; tomorrow is here; it is APC all the way; it is Jagaban all the way; from top to bottom.”
The collective defection marks a significant political shift in Enugu State, which has been a PDP stronghold since 1999.
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