On Thursday, several members of the Lagos State House of Assembly firmly rejected Mudashiru Obasa’s attempt to reclaim his position as Speaker, emphasizing that Mojisola Meranda, who was elected after Obasa’s removal on January 13, remains the rightful Speaker.
The crisis in the assembly was sparked off after Obasa’s removal, and reports suggesting that President Bola Tinubu, who hails from the state was a two-term governor, was displeased with the decision to oust the six-time lawmaker.
Naija Daily News reports that the leadership of the All Progressive Congress and other stakeholders, including the Governor Advisory Council, GAC, had moved in to amicably resolve the issue.
Part of the move, according to our findings, was to give Obasa a chance to step down, and for Meranda to also step down to allow for a new leadership in a no-victor-no-vanguish situation.
But in a new twist, Meranda and the assembly were stripped of their security details, while restoring same to Obasa, who later stormed the Assembly with a retinue to police, civil defence members and alleged touts.
The days leading up to Thursday’s invasion by Obasa, Meranda faced mounting pressure to vacate her position, as political forces backing Obasa pushed for his return.
Some members of the Assembly said Obasa had forced his way into the Assembly chamber, where he presided over a plenary session with some members present. During the session, Obasa claimed to have resumed his position as Speaker, further escalating tensions.
Despite Obasa’s claim, many lawmakers stood firmly behind Meranda. Approximately 36 members of the Assembly rejected Obasa’s return and reiterated that Meranda is still the Speaker. They emphasized that Meranda’s election followed a proper process after Obasa’s removal, and they pledged their unwavering support for her.
Steven Ogundipe, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Security, and Strategy, made it clear that they would not accept Obasa’s return.
He stated that Obasa had not been elected by his constituency and had led with what they described as a “master-slave” style of leadership for nearly a decade. “We’ve had enough of his leadership. We are not going back to that,” Ogundipe declared.
The situation has created a significant divide within the Lagos State House of Assembly, with many members strongly supporting Meranda and rejecting Obasa’s attempt to reclaim the Speaker’s role.
