The embattled new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda struggles to consolidate her position as number one lawmaker in the state as numerous political forces in the state battle hard to force her to resign the exalted position
By Lukmon Ojerinde
The crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly over who becomes the Speaker is threatening the seat of the newly elected Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, as forces beyond her control are plotting to push her to resign. There areindication that the speakership crisis might be resolved soon as the intervention of some heavyweights in the All Progressives Congress (APC) may be compelling her to resign.
Credible information also indicate that both the recently impeached Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa and the current Speaker, Meranda, may be stepping aside for another lawmaker to lead the House.
This development follows the intervention of the APC power brokers who include former governors of Osun, Ogun and Lagos States, Chief Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba, and Akinwunmi Ambode, respectively, among others.
The high-powered APC delegation was alleged to have been directed by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the political tension in the House, following the inability of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) to find a lasting solution to the saga.
The Lagos State Assembly crisis had begun at the floor of the House since January 13, 2025, when 36 of the 40 lawmakers impeached Obasa as the Speaker and replaced him with Meranda who was the Deputy Sspeaker.
Over 90 per cent of the lawmakers had accused Obasa of poor leadership style, perpetual lateness to legislative sessions and plenary, high-handedness and disregard to colleague lawmakers and the executive, especially the governor, abuse of office and privileges, intimidation and oppression of members, misappropriation and unruly acts.
Recall that Obasa was away in Atlanta, United States, when he was removed, and had since then faulted his removal and insisted he was still the Speaker, even as his colleagues in the House remained adamant.
Speaking on his removal, Obasa said, “My status in the house? I strongly believe I am still the speaker until the right thing has been done. If you want to remove me, remove me the proper way and I will not contest it,” Obasa said while addressing newsmen on Saturday, January 25, 2025. He had since gone to court to challenge his impeachment.
But on Sunday, February 23, Osoba, Ambode, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and all the GAC members reportedly met at the Governor’s Lodge in Marina to discuss solutions to the crisis.
Sources at the meeting disclosed that the group led by Governor Sanwo-Olu has made a choice of who will become the next Speaker of the House because Meranda is from the same Senatorial zone with the sitting governor. Another source said, “Both Meranda and Obasa will have to step down for someone who is from another Senatorial District. A lawmaker from the Lagos west Senatorial District may be considered the next Speaker, and President Tinubu is aware and in support of the move. The move is the best option to restore tranquility in the restive Assembly”.
Meanwhile, Obasa has reappeared in the Assembly once again and posed as the authentic Speaker. On Thursday, February 27, Obasa resumed plenary and presided over four members loyal to him as their Speaker. Obasa, who appeared accompanied by security operatives, broke the locks of the Speaker’s office and chambers and presided over a four-man plenary.
Based on his action, the House is now effectively broken into two factions, a 36-man faction led by Mrs. Mojisola Meranda, which is on indefinite adjournment, and the four-man faction led by Obasa that has resumed.
The unfolding events in the Lagos State House of Assembly over the past few weeks have exposed the dangerous erosion of democratic principles in Nigeria’s commercial capital, former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said. In a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku said just days after Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, a founding leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Kaduna State, publicly accused President Tinubu of engaging in selective machine politics, the crisis in the Lagos legislature has provided a troubling validation of these claims.
Atiku said, “The unceremonious removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa by an overwhelming majority of Assembly members and the historic appointment of Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly should have marked a step forward for democracy. Instead, what we are witnessing is a calculated attempt to subvert the will of the legislature through backdoor tactics and the deployment of state-backed security forces to strong-arm elected representatives,” the statement reads, in part. “Two weeks ago, reports emerged of security operatives storming the House in an attempt to enforce a leadership change that would return Obasa as Speaker. This blatant abuse of power mirrors the dark days of military dictatorship and raises serious questions about the integrity of democratic governance in Lagos State.
“Despite his undisputed influence over Lagos politics, President Bola A. Tinubu has remained conspicuously silent on the matter. His refusal to address the crisis suggests a tacit endorsement of the anti-democratic maneuvers aimed at imposing his preferred candidate against the overwhelming will of Assembly members. This silence is deafening and deeply concerning.
“As Mallam el-Rufai rightly pointed out, Lagos politics has become a battleground between the noble values of Omoluabi — rooted in integrity, fairness, and public service — and the crass, strong-arm tactics of Area Boy politics, where power is retained through coercion rather than consensus. “Nigeria’s democracy was hard-fought and must not be undermined by those who should be its foremost guardians. We call on President Tinubu to publicly denounce any attempt to subvert the democratic process in Lagos and ensure that the principles of fairness, justice, and due process prevail. “What happened at the Lagos State House of Assembly today is nothing short of an assault on democracy and a throwback to the dark days of military dictatorship. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute in defending the sanctity of our democratic institutions.”
