Exclusion Of The Minority Leadership In Lagos Assembly Is Tyranny -Hon. Mosadoluwa

MICHAEL AKINOLA

As the intrigues rocking the vibrant Lagos State House of Assembly continues, the exclusion of the minority leadership in the house has been described as tyranny and undemocratic by Hon. Saheed  Mosadoluwa, the founder of Ibile Peaceful Assembly.

Mosadoluwa, popularly known as Mr. Ibile, made this assertions while reacting to the recent decision of the Lagos Assembly to exclude the offices of Minority Leader and Minority Whip in the House, claiming the two positions are no longer necessary.

“Is Lagos State House of Assembly now a fascist organisation, I have not heard of any State assembly without minority leaders. This decision, if not nip in the bud, will surely pave the way for executive-arm recklessness and rascality. APC members in the house should not abuse its powers to oppress the minority voters that send some of these traitors to that chamber to represent their communities,” Mosadoluwa said.

According to him, Lagos State House of Assembly need to understand that the consensus cannot be the basis for making political or legislative decisions because minority rule is antithetical to democracy.

His words, “I considered the assertion of the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Publicity and Security, Mr Tunde Braimoh of Lagos State Assembly as a troubling conundrum. We are not saying majority rule is not necessary for expressing the popular will and the basis for establishing their deceptive and progressive’s campaign but minority is bound to disagree on any anti-people ideal of the majority.”

On Tuesday, the Lagos State House of Assembly said that circumstances had removed the need for the offices of Minority Leader and Minority Whip in the House.

Six out of the eight lawmakers elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the House had, on February 16, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The defectors, including the two former holders of the offices, claimed they left the PDP because of the crisis in the party and attendant leadership tussle.

With their defection, the PDP is left with two lawmakers – Victor Akande (Ojo I) and Dipo Olorunrinu (Amunwo Odofin I) – in the 40-member House.

But the Ibile Peaceful Assembly leader noted that the recent six decamped PDP members did not consult their constituents before they proceeded to decamp to APC.

He said it is of great importance for the House not only to guard Lagosians against oppression and deceptive progressives campaigners, there is need for minority leadership in that assembly to guard the rules of the assembly against the injustice of those who may decide to subject the citizens to their superfluous and whims.

“The minority’s rights must be protected no matter what else the majority’s rights may lose its meaning. I would advise that someone should stand as a minority leader to represent the will of the minority votes. We should stop being economical with truth, and let us tell Rt. Hon. (Mudashiru) Obasa, his loyalists and APC leaders about the dangers of legislative tyranny. We should all condemned such move,” he said.

Mosadoluwa concluded that Ibile Peaceful Assembly will surely protest the heinous decision of the majority of the House to prevent Lagos State Government from becoming a tyranny to the citizens that voted them.

“We will resist imposed regimentation of thought and values as the voice of the minority must be heard,” he added.