- Claims Meranda stepped down as speaker during peace meeting
- We reject you, Meranda remains speaker, lawmakers insist
- Police restore Meranda’s security detail
- Clerk resumes, justifies challenging suspension in court
The leadership crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly took a new turn on Thursday as ousted Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, resumed office, despite his removal on January 13, 2025.
The Assembly has been thrown into disarray by Obasa’s unexpected return, which occurred around 11:30 am.
His appearance was the first in the Assembly since his removal as Lagos speaker on Monday, January 13, 2025.
He was escorted by heavily armed security personnel, creating a tense atmosphere, especially as the current Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, was not present.
Despite the Assembly being on an indefinite recess, Obasa opened the doors to the Speaker’s office.
Obasa declared his resumption as the parliament’s leader, stating “I’ve resumed, and I remain the Speaker of the Assembly.”
He argued that there are laid down procedures to be followed before impeachment.
Speaking later on a live television programme, Obasa insisted that he was not “removed”.
“I have always said that I have never been removed from office. I am not against any removal. “If you are going to do that, you must follow the rules of the House. It is constitutional to impeach and remove. You have to follow the dictates of the Constitution.”
Meranda stepped down as speaker during peace meeting, says Obasa
Also, Obasa claimed during the television programme that Meranda had stepped down as the parliament leader.
The embattled lawmaker said Meranda resigned at the peace meeting held at the Lagos House in Marina last weekend.
He stated, “At the meeting held in Marian, which saw the attendance of all party leaders, it was made clear, with hopes that all members were present, that Meranda herself declared her resignation. She made it known that she has stepped down.
“Now, when someone resigns from office, the associated paraphernalia is taken away. So, the question arises: Have you also resigned? Because we understand that part of the arrangement is for you to step down as well. Let them present the resignation letter. And if I were to resign, would I still be here? I’m sure you’d still address me as Speaker, even though we’ve never had a conversation before,” Obasa said.
In a show of solidarity on Thursday, his supporters gathered at the entrance gate of the Assembly Complex, chanting and cheering on the lawmaker who represents Agege Constituency I in the 40-member House.
Briefing reporters, the 52-year-old politician told journalists on the premises of the House that “Obasa is the speaker,”
Asked whether he has been reinstated as speaker, Obasa said, “I’ve never been removed. Impeachment or removal is democratic and constitutional but in doing that, you must follow the due process. I am not against that. If I do that, then I am not democratic.”
We reject you, Meranda remains speaker, lawmakers insist
Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers loyal to the lawmaker, who represents Apapa Constituency I, Mojisola Meranda, rejected Obasa, insisting that Meranda remained the speaker.
The development followed the controversial withdrawal of security details assigned to Speaker Meranda, as ordered by the Inspector General of Police.
An aide to Meranda confirmed the withdrawal of police and SSS operatives, leaving her “exposed to threats amid the ongoing speakership crisis.”
The aide appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state’s Chief Security Officer, to intervene and prevent a potential breakdown of law and order.
Victor Ganzalo, Meranda’s media aide, who confirmed the withdrawal of his principal’s security aides in a statement, also said all personnel providing security at the assembly complex had been withdrawn.
As the crisis in the Lagos Assembly deepens, members have rejected the return of Obasa as the speaker.
The lawmakers who spoke to journalists at the Lagos Assembly Complex Thursday frowned on the decision to return Obasa without prior notice.
They rejected the former speaker and sought the All Progressive Congress leaders’ intervention.
They said there must be clear direction and directive on the issue.
Stephen Ogundipe representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency who spoke on behalf of other lawmakers said the lawmakers were shocked at the development.
He said that, however, members remained calm in the face of the unfolding charade.
He said, “This is Lagos. We are told by our leaders that we should remain calm and take things easy until further notice.”
Police restore Meranda’s security detail
However, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Moshood Jimoh, has said the command has restored the security detail of Mojisola Meranda.
Jimoh stated this on Thursday while addressing a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Ikeja, the state capital.
The commissioner said Meranda’s security detail was initially withdrawn for audit purposes, adding that the withdrawal was not done out of an ulterior motive.
Atiku condemns Lagos assembly crisis
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticsed President Bola Tinubu for his silence over the crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly.
He described it as a tacit endorsement of anti-democratic tactics aimed at subverting the will of lawmakers.
Atiku, in a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, on Thursday, condemned what he called “backdoor tactics” and the use of state-backed security forces to reverse the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, despite his ousting by an overwhelming majority of Assembly members.
Atiku noted that Tinubu’s refusal to address the crisis raises concerns about his commitment to democratic principles, particularly in light of recent allegations by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai that the president engages in selective political control.
“Despite his undisputed influence over Lagos politics, President Bola 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,” Atiku said.
He accused Tinubu of turning Lagos politics into 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.”
He called on the president to publicly denounce any attempt to undermine democracy in Lagos and ensure that due process is upheld.
“Nigeria’s democracy was hard-fought and must not be undermined by those who should be its foremost guardians. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute in defending the sanctity of our democratic institutions,” he stated.
Clerk justifies challenging suspension in court
In a related development, the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, who was suspended when Obasa was sacked, has resumed at his duty post following reinstatement by a court order.
Onafeko was suspended by the House on the same day Obasa was removed by 36 of the 40 lawmakers sitting on the fateful day.
However, Onafeko approached the National Industrial Court to challenge his indefinite suspension by the House and the court ordered his reinstatement pending the determination of suit he filed against the state government and others.
Addressing journalists in his office on Thursday, Onafeko emphasized that he was appointed as Clerk in 2022 to serve a four-year term and was eligible for reappointment under the Lagos State House of Assembly Legislative Service Commission Law.
He also expressed his confusion over the suspension, stating that he was not given prior notice and did not commit any offense to warrant such action.
Onafeko said with court’s order reinstating him as clerk of the House, the court had nipped the illegality and the legislative rascality in the bud.
“By implication, the Court has ordered that I resume my duties as the Clerk of the House pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction already filed in the suit. The said order has been duly served on the concerned parties.
“This is a victory for the rule of law and ethos of a civil society. The Court is indeed the last hope of the common man including the oppressed”, he said.