The reinstated Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday, stunned observers with a shocking slip of the tongue, referring to journalists as “the fifth columnist of the realm” instead of the widely recognised “fourth estate of the realm.”
The moment of embarrassment unfolded during his appreciation speech after reclaiming the speakership in a politically charged turn of events.
Obasa, who had been dramatically ousted but later reinstated following high-level intervention from Abuja, was expressing gratitude to his colleagues when he made the verbal blunder.
“I will not leave behind our friends, the fifth columnist of the realm,” he declared, drawing immediate reactions from those present.
Realising the error, he was swiftly corrected before hurriedly amending his statement to “sorry, the fourth estate of the realm.”
The slip, however, was not the only dramatic incident of the day.
The House chamber had earlier witnessed high emotions as Mojisola Meranda, who had briefly served as Speaker, tearfully stepped down from the position.
In a swift reshuffle, she was returned to her former role as Deputy Speaker, paving the way for Obasa’s reinstatement as Speaker in a power play that left tongues wagging.
The day’s proceedings underscored the ongoing political intrigues within the Lagos State Assembly, leaving observers with more questions than answers about the forces shaping its leadership.
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