Nigeria, March 8 -- At a point I was in a quandary on how to address Hon. Mudashiru Obasa. What unfolded at the Lagos State House of Assembly presented a dilemma similar to that which confronted journalists after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won free and square by MKO Abiola. Should we address MKO as president-elect and winner of the election? Should we not, since the results of the election had not been fully announced and the authority legally prescribed to proclaim the results and declare a winner had not officially done so? In the end, we settled for a "presumptive winner."

After Obasa stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly last Thursday and declared that he was still the speaker and had resumed as such...