In light of the recent turmoil at the Lagos House of Assembly, the opposition Labour Party (LP) has called on lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defect to their party. The LP made this appeal to the 36 legislators who, on January 13, backed the removal of Hon. Mudasiru Obasa and supported the installation of Hon. Mojisola Meranda as the new speaker.
The Labour Party stated that it is open to welcoming these lawmakers, inviting them to join their cause alongside the party’s 2023 gubernatorial candidate, Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, to liberate Lagos from the control of the APC. The LP described the ruling party as a group of “democracy assassins” and stressed the need to oust the APC to safeguard the future of democracy in Lagos.
In a press briefing held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Abayomi Arabambi, criticized the APC for supporting Obasa’s return as speaker despite several serious allegations against him. Arabambi declared, “Lagos State has effectively been captured by a group of democracy assassins,” and emphasized that it is crucial to remove the APC to prevent the total destruction of democracy in the state.
Arabambi also criticized the APC leadership’s manipulation of the state’s political landscape, particularly their controversial actions in removing a democratically elected speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda. He further condemned the silence of Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the ongoing impeachment saga, demanding that the APC administration address the allegations against Obasa. Arabambi called for the resignation of Governor Sanwo-Olu or the initiation of impeachment proceedings if the allegations are not properly addressed.
The Labour Party expressed gratitude to the 36 lawmakers for their interest in joining the party ahead of the 2027 election, with the aim of supporting Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who they claim was unfairly defeated in 2023 but is now positioned to lead the state in 2027.
Arabambi also dismissed any opposition to Rhodes-Vivour’s candidacy, particularly from former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate Abdul-Azeez Adeniran, stating that Rhodes-Vivour remains the LP’s sole candidate for the 2027 governorship race.
“There is no vacancy in the Labour Party. Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is our only candidate for the Alausa seat in 2027,” Arabambi affirmed.
