The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Lagos 2023 poll, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has condemned the forceful takeover of the Lagos State House of Assembly, saying it was an assault on democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Mr Rhodes-Vivour expressed concern over the development, saying a dangerous precedent was being set.

He said: “What we witnessed at the House of Assembly represents a troubling pattern where might is increasingly valued over right. This forceful seizure of the legislative chambers undermines the very foundations of our democracy and sends a disturbing message about how power is wielded in our state.”

Mr Rhodes-Vivour criticised the ruling party in Lagos, accusing it of systematically promoting thuggery and violence over ideas.

He argued that such actions have eroded public trust in governance and weakened democratic values that should preserve the rule of law.

He said: “For too long, Lagos politics has been defined by intimidation rather than inspiration, by coercion rather than conviction. The ruling party has consistently demonstrated a willingness to use force to have its way notwithstanding the popular will of the people.”

Mr Rhodes-Vivour urged Lagosians to take the current crisis as a wake-up call ahead of future elections, saying voters should prioritise candidates who demonstrate character, competence and compassion regardless of party affiliation.

“The quality of our democracy depends entirely on the quality of individuals we elect to represent us. Lagosians deserve leaders who view public office as a sacred trust rather than a platform for personal aggrandizement”, he said.

Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi, has appealed to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, to withdraw her suit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking during a live television interview on Saturday, Senator Olujimi said she does not want women to “look emotionally unstable”.

On February 20, Senator Akpabio, the senate president, and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan engaged in a heated debate during plenary over a change in seating arrangements.

On February 25, the senate referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review.

However, the Kogi senator filed a N100 billion defamation suit against Senator Akpabio over an alleged defamatory statement reportedly made by the senate president’s legislative aide.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan later alleged that her trouble in the senate began after she rejected sexual advances from Senator Akpabio.

Reacting to the development, Senator Olujimi said a senator cannot speak outside the assigned seat according to the senate rule.

The former lawmaker said the request of the Kogi senator that her senate probe proceedings should be broadcast live was a “little overboard.”

She added that the clash between the senate president and Akpoti-Uduaghan should not have been escalated, noting that the change in seating arrangements is a normal phenomenon in the red chamber.

The former senate minority leader expressed support for the probe of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “weighty” allegations against Senator Akpabio.

She said Senator Akpabio is someone who jokes a lot, adding that the senate president usually made fun of everything.

“I want to say that in the 8th and 9th senate, we never had anything like that (referring to the allegations), and Senator Akpabio was one of us.

“They treated us (female senators) with decorum. We did not have anything like that, and I have not heard anything of such from any other of the remaining senators.

“It is tough for me to be able to take that without proper investigation. There should be an investigation.

“He (Akpabio) jokes a lot. He is fond of making little fun out of everything. He loves to make everything light; when you do that, you become very vulnerable.

“I saw all that they (referring to male senators) went through as men when I was there. They were all victimised by people from outside. I had to rescue them all of the time.

“The court case, I want to appeal to her to take the case out of court. We don’t want women to look like they are emotionally unstable.

“We need to also be strong enough to face the men. Going to court against a presiding officer is not on. I know she is hurt, but she needs to handle it in a better way. I think that should get out of court as fast as possible”, Senator Olujimi said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared itself the best option for the masses in the Nov. 8 governorship election in Anambra State.

The state chairman of the party, Mr Chidi Chidebe, who said this in an interview with The Tide source in Awka, the state capital on Saturday, said the party remained the most active and formidable opposition in the state.

According to him, PDP is the only party that can unseat the incumbent government.

He said, though the party had suffered setbacks both at the national level and in Anambra, it remained the best option for the masses as it guaranteed inclusiveness and the best participatory democratic environment.

He said under his leadership, PDP in Anambra State had become active and viable with the constitution of six standing committees already working to ensure the party regained its lost grounds.

He said the committee were: Strategic Planning and Policy Development Committee, Grassroots Mobilisation and Outreach Committee, Reconciliation and Unity Committee, Fundraising and Resource Mobilization Committee, Media and Communication Committee and State Elders Committee.

The party chairman said major activities in the party ahead of the election would commence after the primaries, adding that individual aspirants were doing what they should be doing.

“This is the first time that we are having standing committees for the party; they are formed to make sure that everybody can participate in one or the other activity within the party and also ensure we run consistently.

“PDP is the only political party in Nigeria which has a defined agenda and ideology, others do not have concrete arrangements in their formation unlike us. It is only when people feel aggrieved they go to them.

“In Anambra, PDP is formidable and we are contesting the Nov.8 election to win; we are going to participate actively in that election,” he said.

Mr Chidebe said the incumbent government in Anambra State had shortchanged the people in terms of delivery of dividends of democracy and that the PDP would fix the state.

He said there were a number of things that were not going well under the current government in Anambra State including increasing insecurity and shrinking democratic space.

“Let me tell you, we need a liberal government, a government that is participatory where people can air their views and discuss.

“Government cannot sit in the hands of people or somebody that feels he knows it all; such a government does not make progress.

“The best thing that any leader and the best quality any leader can possess is the ability to harness ideas and talents and be able to put them to use,” he said.