Obasa, Meranda Claim Speakership as Lagos Assembly Crisis Deepens

Editor

13 hours ago

By DAYO ADESULU

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and Speaker Mojisola Meranda claim leadership position as the leadership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly takes a dramatic turn. The confusion has escalated further as the Assembly now has two clerks, Ottun Babatunde and the suspended Olalekan Onafeko, both asserting authority.

Background of the Lagos Assembly Crisis

The crisis began on January 13, 2025, when thirty-three lawmakers voted to remove Obasa as Speaker, citing alleged abuse of office, financial misappropriations, and misconduct. In his place, the lawmakers elected former Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda. However, Obasa, who was out of the country at the time, returned to Nigeria on January 25, 2025, and rejected his removal.

Despite interventions from senior figures within the All Progressives Congress (APC), including former Osun and Ogun State governors Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Olusegun Osoba, the impasse has remained unresolved. The Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State has also struggled to mediate effectively, with some believing that only President Bola Tinubu can intervene decisively.

Obasa’s Bold Return to the Assembly

In a shocking development last Thursday, Obasa arrived at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex under heavy security escort. His return, after weeks of absence, left political stakeholders and the public in surprise.

Earlier that day, security details attached to Speaker Meranda were reportedly withdrawn by the Lagos State Police Command, while additional police officers were assigned to Obasa. Some analysts speculate that this shift in security arrangements facilitated Obasa’s entry into the Assembly complex.

According to a close aide of Meranda, Victor Ganzallo, “We don’t know why the authorities have done that, but all the police officers and other security details attached to her have been withdrawn. She’s on her own at the moment.”

Lagos Police Responds to Security Controversy

Later that evening, the newly deployed Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Moshood Jimoh, addressed the matter, explaining that the withdrawal of security operatives was part of a personnel audit.

“As I speak with you, the audit of the police personnel attached to Hon. Mojisola Meranda has been completed, and the armed police personnel attached to her have been returned for her protection,” Jimoh stated.

The commissioner also confirmed that Obasa had applied for security protection due to alleged threats to his life. In a statement by Lagos Police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, he clarified that “there was an application from Hon. Mudashiru Obasa on threats to his life and that of his family in the last few days, and it was on that basis that police personnel were assigned to him for protection only.”

Obasa Holds Plenary with Just Four Lawmakers

Despite resistance from the majority of lawmakers, Obasa held a plenary session attended by only four legislators. Addressing the situation, he insisted that he had never been impeached.

“I’ve never been removed. There is nothing like impeachment. Impeachment or removal is democratic and constitutional, but in doing that, you must follow due process,” Obasa said, adding, “I still remain the Speaker of the Assembly.”

When asked why only four lawmakers were present at the plenary, Obasa responded, “You cannot force people into the plenary. But if they say four, where are the rest of them? How many of them were around this afternoon when we were having the plenary?”

Meranda Insists She Remains Speaker

At the last plenary session she presided over, Meranda also adjourned proceedings indefinitely, reinforcing her claim to the speakership.

Speaking about Obasa’s four-member plenary, Meranda dismissed it as a farce. “To me, that was just a show of shame. Because in our job, we have numbers that form a quorum. So, if you are sitting with three or four members, you’re only doing a drama.”

The official spokesperson for the Assembly, Ogundipe Olukayode, confirmed that 35 lawmakers, including Meranda, remain opposed to Obasa. “The House will reconvene. We are consulting with our leaders, and I know the party is also taking steps,” he stated.

What Happens Next?

With the Assembly’s next sitting uncertain, political observers are keen to see whether Meranda or Obasa will convene the next session. When asked about this on a TV program, Obasa said, “We adjourned sine die. When you adjourn sine die, it can be tomorrow, it can be next tomorrow. It can be in one week, it can be two weeks. It’s a flexibility of the House to reconvene.”

Meranda, on her part, continues to address the public as Speaker. On Saturday, she posted a Ramadan message on her X (formerly Twitter) handle, signing it as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

GAC Weighs in on the Crisis

The Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, has expressed concern over the crisis, stating that lawmakers failed to consult the party before making decisions.

The prolonged impasse raises concerns about the stability of the Lagos State Assembly and the potential impact on legislative governance. While the APC leadership and President Tinubu may eventually step in, the future of the Assembly remains uncertain.

Conclusion

The Lagos State House of Assembly crisis continues to generate tension, with Obasa and Meranda both laying claim to the speakership. As political stakeholders await a resolution, it remains unclear whether the APC leadership or the courts will ultimately determine the true Speaker of the House.

#LagosAssembly, #LagosPolitics, #ObasaVsMeranda, #LagosStateCrisis, #NigeriaNews, #PoliticalCrisis, #LegislativeDrama, #APC, #DemocracyInNigeria,

Dayo Adesulu, online editor, SEO expert.