There was panic among staff members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, when the former acting Clerk, Mr. Ottun Babatunde, was rushed to hospital shortly after returning from the office of Department of State Services (DSS) on invitation.
Babatunde, who has been displaced from his position, was said to have complained of dizziness after honouring the invitation by DSS over petition of alleged incitement filed against him by the suspended Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko.
Onafeko said that the National Industrial Court, sitting in Lagos, has sacked the acting Clerk, Babatunde, who was appointed by the then Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Meranda, who is now Deputy Speaker.
According to a credible source, there was panic when information spread about 1 pm that Babatunde had been rushed to a nearby hospital for further treatment after leaving DSS’ office.
The source said: ‘Mr. Ottun was yesterday afternoon taken to the DSS’ office in Shangisha, in company of a senior staff, Mr. Seyi. He was later released late in the evening and asked to report the next day.
‘The invitation was based on a petition written by the removed clerk, Onafeko, who alleged that Babatunde incited staff against him while in attempt to gain entry into his office in apparent defiance to Industrial Court’s order on status quo to remain in the wake of the crisis rocking the assembly, among other allegations.
‘Today, he decided to honour the invitation. He went in company of his lawyer, a Senior Advocate. About noon, the news started filtering in that Mr Ottun has been rushed to the hospital from DSS’ office after complaining of dizziness.
‘Upon receipt of the information, we were further saddened by the development over the leadership tussle of the House, which has negatively impacted on the staff and management of the assembly.
‘We later heard that after few hours, he was discharged and taken to his resident’.
The staff lamented that the running of affairs of the Assembly has been dragging lately following order by Onafeko, asking banks to halt release of assembly funds till further notice.
‘Both legislative and correspondence activities of the Assembly have been brought to their lowest ebb as Onafeko, who forcefully returned into office after his removal, ordered banks to stop payment of running costs and other utilities till further notice. You can imagine what we, staff, are going through presently.
‘As you can see for yourself, the atmospheric mood around the Assembly is a shadow of itself’, the source further said.
On 26 February, a mild drama ensued at the Assembly when Onafeko appeared at the complex to resume duty in his office but was politely turned back from gaining access.
Onafeko was the Clerk before 13 January 2025 when Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa was removed as Speaker. The latter wss however re-elected on Monday after series of interventions by the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC), and influential personalities.
Onafeko went with his lawyer, two security personnel and DSS operatives, as well as one unidentified person in an attempt to reclaim his seat as Clerk, but was intercepted and denied access.
‘He (the suspended clerk) was politely told by the lawyer of the state Assembly to leave the complex peacefully as the matter is already in court’, an eyewitness said.
In a viral video, Onafeko was seen being booed, jeered and chased away by staff who chanted unfavorable slogans at him, showing their discontent to his appearance at the Assembly.
The Assembly management condemned the action.
