posted 17th February 2025
Atiku Condemns Armed Operatives’ Invasion of Lagos State House of Assembly
Lagos, Nigeria – Atiku Abubakar, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2023 presidential election, has strongly condemned the recent invasion of the Lagos State House of Assembly by armed security operatives, describing the incident as "utterly reprehensible" and demanding a full investigation.
A video that has gone viral on social media depicts armed operatives storming the state assembly, reportedly under instructions to enforce a leadership change within the legislative body. Abubakar expressed his bewilderment at the notion that forces tasked with upholding democracy would resort to such tactics.
"It is appalling that those who have claimed to champion democracy would sanction this crass desecration of the state’s foremost legislative body, thereby jeopardising our hard-earned democratic principles," Abubakar stated. "This act is an attack on the sanctity of democracy and a landmark of indignity to the Nigerian electorate, particularly the people of Lagos."
The PDP candidate emphasised that while leadership crises within legislative assemblies are not uncommon in democratic systems, the engagement of armed operatives to address such disputes is wholly inappropriate. "Whatever may have caused the leadership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly is an undercurrent that is not abnormal in a system of democracy. However, the purported invitation of armed security operatives for conflict resolution is an anathema that should be scrutinised with urgency," he added.
Abubakar further criticised the interference of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in state affairs, urging him to focus on addressing the challenges currently facing Nigeria rather than meddling in local governance issues. "Tinubu should prioritise bringing Nigeria out of the mess he plunged the country into, instead of complicating matters at the state level," he asserted.
