Obasa Makes Dramatic Return as Speaker of Lagos Assembly 49 Days After Controversial Removal
By Taiwo Olapade
Who would have ever thought that Lagos, the Centre of Excellence, the most advanced and cosmopolitan state in the country, would face a needless leadership battle for over a month at the State House of Assembly, one of the crucial arms of government?
Today, however, marked the end of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda’s short reign as Speaker of the House following her resignation during plenary. Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa was re-elected as Speaker, while Meranda returned to her former position as Deputy Speaker.
Previously, the House found itself in a state of uncertainty, resembling the crisis in Rivers State, where two factions laid claim to leadership. That impasse was settled by the Supreme Court on Friday when it recognized the Martins Amaewhule-led House and nullified the state’s 2025 budget, which had been presented to the three-man Assembly and signed into law by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The recognized House under Martins Amaewhule has since given Governor Fubara 48 hours to re-present the budget to enable the state to receive all federal allocations due to it, following the Supreme Court’s directive suspending such disbursements. However, let’s set aside the politics of Rivers State and focus on the similar scenario that almost played out in Lagos.
Can we question the legitimacy of the plenary held on January 13, 2025, when 33 out of the 40 House members allegedly removed Obasa while he was in Atlanta, U.S.?
Although the House was on recess when the January 13 plenary took place, the mace, which is the symbol of the Assembly, was present, and the sitting was conducted in the chambers with recognized members. What then makes the sitting illegal and unconstitutional, as claimed by Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and some of his supporters?
Records also indicate that this is not the first time a Speaker of the Lagos Assembly has been removed without tension in the House. Rt. Hon. Jokotola Pelumi from Epe Constituency 1 was removed in 2005 and replaced by Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, also from Epe. However, the circumstances surrounding that removal were not the same as the leadership crisis that has just been resolved.
Meranda’s resignation came after another marathon meeting between House members and the leadership of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC). But wait a minute—what will become of the lawsuit filed by Obasa challenging his removal?
Will the Lagos State House of Assembly ever remain the same and regain its unity after this dramatic turn of events? How will the members, who have endured emotional trauma during this leadership tussle, be pacified?
Only time will tell.
