92 Civil Society Organisations across Nigeria have written an open letter to president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding that peace, development and revered democratic institutions in lagos must be insulated from denigrating the sanctity of constitutional democracy.
Below is the letter which was made available to AljazirahNigeria on Sunday:
OPEN LETTER TO MR PRESIDENT. By:COALITION OF 92 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ACCROSS THE 36 STATES OF THE FEDERATION
” PEACE, DEVELOPMENT AND REVERED DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS IN LAGOS MUST BE INSULATED FROM DENIGRATING THE SANCTITY OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY”
Being An Open Letter By Coalition Of Civil Societies To President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR To Save Democracy Now.
We write you Sir, Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, because of your known history and pedigree as a Democrat and our shared antecedents as pro democracy crusaders.
PREAMBLE
We, being part of the veritable, active, Civic Trenches Foot Soldiers that fought side by side with your good self and other great patriots dead and alive to entrench democratic governance by ensuring that rampaging military dictatorship and thier anti democratic cohorts,were sent back to the barracks. We are proud to identify with you as one of the core partners in this crusade that brought back democracy to the country in 1999. Considering you are an active member of NADECO, for which your name will be etched in gold on the stone of time and history
The cardinal principles upon which our pro democratic agitations were based then, include but not limited to :-
- The sanctity of the right to vote and be voted for, elected representatives government.
- Anti military interregnum in governance as an anathema to modern, civilized society.
- Entrenchment of the rule of law and constitutionalism.
- Reverence of sacred democratic institutions.
- Clamour for true fiscal federalism, separations of power, and due process.
We seize this opportunity to call you, Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resort back to this principled standards, deep into the pouch of global democratic principles to resolve looming sceptre of crisis that may engulf Lagos State because of the untoward development that currently envelop the legislature, leading to a leadership quagmire
THE LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY CONFLICT, SPIKING INTERNAL CONTRADICTIONS CAPABLE OF DEMOCRATIC COMBUSTION
On 13th. of January, 2025, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa was “impeached” by 32 out of 40 of his colleagues ostensibly on the allegations of gross misconduct and financial improprieties. The House subsequently elected Hon. Mojisola Meranda as replacement.
We are confident to herein acknowledge that the Legislative arm of government is known to democracy and our grundnorm, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Members are elected into the Assembly by their various constituencies and can only be removed from the House either through ” Recall” processes from their Constituencies or the Court of competent Jurisdiction.
We know that the status of Principal Officers of the House is always a privilege bestowed by colleagues because the legislature is guided by the principle of ” First Among Equals
Thus, members of Assembly can change its leadership by majority consensus.
Hon. Obasa kicked against the resolutions of his peers and challenged same in the court. Once again, this is a conflict resolution mechanism known to our extant laws and we duely applauded the step.
To our chagrin and the consternation of all genuine constitutional democrats in the country and globally, the Assembly was invaded by the police, other security forces on Friday, 28th. February, 2025, in a veiled attempt to reimpose Hon. Mudashiru Obasa as the Speaker of the House. This is not only retrogressive, it is a disgusting daylight and open market defilement of all tenets of democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law. It stands condemned by all men of conscience as well as global democratic institutions and practitioners of good governance. We stand on this same stern podium, which we know with your antecedents as a Democrat, you will not hesitate to weigh in, with all paraphernalia of your good office to stop these shenanigans promptly. The danger here as you well know, is that when you deploy military police to thwart or disrupt processes in constitutional democracy, it becomes an open invitation to chaffer for purchists to forcefully take over the reins of government. We trust on your good conscience to immediately initiate affirmative actions against this erosion of our hard earned democracy.
The global democratic world and institutions are derisively laughing at not just Lagos State but the entire country. Another unfortunate , tragi- comedy drama was again stage managed on Monday, 3rd. March, 2025. Under a fiercely charged, fortified by armed security personnel, Hon. Meranda was obviously armed twisted , perhaps, terrorised to resign as Speaker of the House. Hon Obasa was reinstated. This ridiculed democratic institutions in the country, making us laughing stock of all civilized societies.
A STICH IN TIME SAVES NINE:
We are disturbed by various, veiled insinuations that some elements are behind the removal of Hon. Obasa as Speaker. Whoever may be behind the removal of Obasa, we strongly believe did so to avert a bigger Political catastrophic situation that Obasa would have inadvertently imposed on Lagos.
He is gradually becoming a loose cannon. Mr. President Sir, we know you will be embarrassed and the damage would have been irreversible.
My President it is advised that you should check source very carefully SanwoOlu may have issue though not personal with Obasa but it is definitely not to a point where he will solely orchestrate the removal. Obasa has many enemies seen and unknown, they will definitely wait such moment to launch their retaliation against Obasa. A scheme was thus, carefully put in place that will make it impossible to trace to them.
Our Organisation will advise Mr. President , in our usual character not to be manipulated or used to demoralize a well trained, loyal and hardworking Political son, when push turn to shove Sanwoolu will always stand in for you as we all know he has gone through thick and twist, he has been bashed and remained a Gilbatrar Fortress for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
OUR CLARION TO MR. PRESIDENT
- Remember your credentials, antecedents as Democratic Crusader. Don’t allow politics to sullen your impeccable records.
- Protect all Democratic Institutions like the Legislative, Judiciary from bastardization, derogation or attacks from Anti Democratic MARAUDERS
- Protect and Preserve Democracy, Constitutionalism, and Rule of Law
We thank you as we know you shall do the needful by not allowing retrogressive forces to truncate our democracy. This is necessary to sustain the peace, developmental template and vibrant civic trenches engagement that Lagos State has been reputed for since the return of democracy; from your administration to Babatunde Raji Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and now the democratic baton passed to Babajide SanwoOlu.
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria
Long Live Lagos State
Signed on Behalf of 92 Civil Society Organisations;
RAZAQ OLOKOBA
CONVENER
DEFEND NIGERIA MOVEMENT
TITI AKOSA
PRESIDENT
CENTER 21st CENTURY
RAZAQ OLADOSU BUSCA
Grassroots Democratic Initiatives (GDI)
Comrade Alex Omotehinse
Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR)
Omotaje B. Olawale
Executive Director
WorkBond International Network ( WIN )
Comrade Edafe Oghenebrume
Renaissance Group
Rasheed Raji Oyewunmi
CHAIRMAN
Movement for Democratic Change. MDC.
NELSON EKUNJUNMI
PRESIDENT
CENTER FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS
AWAKULU MAGAJI
PRESIDENT
NORTHERN WOMEN ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION
RAMAT ABDULLAHI
PAN-AFRICAN RADICAL CONGRESS
