Lagos Assembly denies claims of 27 APC lawmakers defecting to Labour Party

Thursday, February 20, 2025 - The Lagos State House of Assembly has opened up on the rumour about the defection of 27 of its members from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the opposition Labour Party, LP.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Ogundipe Olukayode, said the story was untrue.

According to him, such ‘misleading and “false stories should be disregarded by the general public”.

“These events in no way suggest any intention by members to leave the party. We emphasise, without any ambiguity, that no member of the Assembly is contemplating defection.

“We were elected under the leadership of the ruling party. The ruling party remains united and focused on delivering its mandate to the people of Lagos State. The falsehood being spread originates from agents of destabilisation who seek to create unnecessary tension and division within the Assembly,” the Assembly said.
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There were rumours that the APC House members have found solace in LP, but the Assembly added that the rumoured defection was aimed to “sow discord and confusion within the Assembly and among the good people of Lagos State”.

Armed security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, DSS, stormed the hallowed chamber earlier in the week.

They were there to allegedly stop the newly elected Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, from having access to the Assembly till hours later.

Meranda was tearful when she finally presided over plenary, as lawmakers loyal to her passed a vote of confidence in her.

The state legislature has been embroiled in a leadership tussle that has been described as the mother of all political crisis currently going on in the country.

It all started after the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as the speaker of the Assembly and the election of Meranda.

Obasa has insisted that his removal did not follow the due process has gone to court to challenge the process.

However, the Lagos Assembly insists there are no external forces’ involvement in the leadership tussle.