Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa has said that there is no crime for people to seek separate nations within an existing nation.
Obasa who said this during the debate on a motion about the 22 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria raised by Setonji David (Badagry 2, APC), commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing an executive order granting autonomy to state legislatures and judiciary and for honouring the late M.K.O Abiola with the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day.
The speaker however stated that people should be allowed to protest where they think things are not working.
He said;
“It is not about electing us alone. Those that elected us also have freedom, they have the right to protest where they think things are not working.
“The right to protest should not be taken away from them as long as such right is not taken for granted. There is no crime in seeking for separate nations within an existing nation.”
Obasa also urged Southern governors not to go to sleep but to see that their position are followed through.
He called on the National Assembly members to go beyond “weeping on the floor” of the House and truly rejig the Constitution.
The speaker added;
“Those representing the people through the ideology of social contracts must listen to the people.
“For the southern governors, having stated their position, they should not go to sleep. They should follow it through.
“We will continue to cry that we have state police and devolution of power.”
Obasa who lamented that the Naira has continued to fall against the Dollar, further stated that restructuring which is part of the solution to Nigeria’s challenges will address economic challenges and poverty level.