APC chieftain Babatunde Bank-Anthony urges Lagos Governor Sanwo-Olu to address the ongoing leadership crisis in the state’s House of Assembly. He also advises President Tinubu to focus on national matters amid the unfolding turmoil.
Babatunde Bank-Anthony, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to take action on the escalating leadership dispute in the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA).
During a Tuesday appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program, Bank-Anthony emphasized that the governor, as the state’s chief executive, should not ignore the crisis, especially considering that the assembly is responsible for passing laws that govern Lagos.
“I expect the governor to speak up about this situation. He is the number one man in Lagos State and cannot disregard what happened yesterday,” said Bank-Anthony. “This is the parliament that he reports to, and he should address the issue with the right quarters.”
The call came hours after tensions in the Lagos State House of Assembly intensified. On Monday, security forces, including police officers and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, blocked lawmakers from entering the assembly chambers. After several hours of standoff, the lawmakers were allowed access, and Speaker Mojisola Meranda proceeded to preside over the session.
While many have urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the escalating leadership conflict, Bank-Anthony advised caution, noting that the president should be careful not to be seen as taking sides. He stressed that national matters should take precedence for the president.
“President Tinubu has bigger national issues to focus on. After 26 years of democracy in Lagos, we shouldn’t expect him to get involved in state-level squabbles,” Bank-Anthony said. “Let’s allow him to focus on more pressing matters.”
The leadership crisis began when Mudashiru Obasa was removed from his role as speaker amid fraud allegations, with Meranda elected as his successor. Obasa has challenged his removal in court, a move Bank-Anthony criticized.
“If Obasa cannot return to the House as a member, he should resign after 20 years in the Assembly and allow someone else to take the lead,” he added.
Obasa, who represented Agege I Constituency, was first elected to the Lagos Assembly in 2007 and served as speaker from June 2015 until his removal in January 2025.
Channelstv
