The De-Renaissance Patriots Foundation has strongly countered the recent remarks made by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Muiz Banire, regarding the ongoing political crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The foundation accused Banire of misrepresenting key facts and downplaying the marginalization of indigenous Lagosians in the state’s power structure.
In a press statement released on Monday, the group refuted Banire’s claims that former governors of Osun and Ogun States, Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba were merely mediators invited by Lagos political stakeholders to resolve the Assembly’s leadership tussle.
According to the foundation, the intervention of the two elder statesmen ultimately subverted the democratic aspirations of Lagos indigenes.
The foundation criticized Banire’s justification of the forced resignation of Hon. Mojisola Meranda, an indigene, to reinstate Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
It argued that the move, which was allegedly orchestrated by external influences, disregarded the will of Lagosians from Epe, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Ikorodu divisions, who had overwhelmingly supported Meranda.
“The intervention of Akande and Osoba dashed the hopes of Lagos indigenes and will be remembered in history as a betrayal of democratic principles,” the statement read.
The group also dismissed Banire’s assertion that the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), which facilitated the intervention, consists of 80% indigenous Lagosians.
According to them, the real power within the GAC is wielded by non-indigenes, leaving native Lagosians in a weak and marginalized position despite their numerical presence.
While acknowledging Banire’s contributions to legal discourse, the foundation faulted his role in the Assembly crisis, arguing that his defense of Akande and Osoba contradicts his past advocacy for Lagos indigenes.
“We expected him, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, to have engaged with the legitimacy of the impeachment, reinstatement, and plenary election of the Lagos Assembly leadership with greater neutrality and detachment,” the statement added.
The group also rejected Banire’s analogy, comparing the situation to leadership disputes at the Lagos Central Mosque, stating that religious institutions operate under different principles from democratic governance.
Describing the crisis as a “struggle for power tainted by betrayal and political manipulation,” the foundation insisted that Speaker Mudashiru Obasa should step down in the interest of democracy and the rule of law.
“Having lost his grip on the Assembly, his continued leadership, enforced by external political forces, constitutes a threat to democratic integrity,” the foundation stated.
The group further cautioned against what it described as an “artificially sustained leadership” in the Assembly, warning that such actions undermine the democratic process and the will of the people.
Reaffirming its commitment to the political emancipation of Lagos indigenes, the De-Renaissance Patriots Foundation called on Banire to realign with the struggle for justice and fair representation.
“This is a defining moment, and history will remember those who stood for justice and fairness,” the statement concluded.
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