Lagos Speaker Obasa Calls Journalists ‘Fifth Columnists’ In Acceptance Speech

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday, mistakenly referred to journalists as the “fifth columnists of the realm” while delivering his acceptance speech after being reinstated as the leader of the Assembly.

Naijaonpoint gathered that the gaffe occurred during the plenary session where Mojisola Meranda officially stepped down as Speaker after 49 days in office, paving the way for Obasa’s return.

Meranda had been elected Speaker on January 13, 2025, after Obasa was removed while abroad, facing accusations of gross misconduct and abuse of office.

However, after intense political maneuvering and mediation by party leaders, he was restored to his position on Monday.

During his acceptance speech, Obasa expressed gratitude to his colleagues and notable APC figures, including Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Olusegun Osoba, for facilitating his return. He praised the Assembly for demonstrating political maturity in resolving the crisis.

However, while acknowledging members of the media, the Speaker misspoke, saying, “I must not leave behind our friends, the fifth columnists of the realm.”

His colleagues immediately corrected him, pointing out that the correct term is “fourth estate of the realm”, which refers to the press as a crucial watchdog in a democracy.

In contrast, “fifth columnists” is a term used to describe saboteurs or traitors who work against the interests of an institution or country from within.