The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, has strongly criticised her predecessor, Mudashiru Obasa, following his unexpected return to the Assembly Complex on Thursday, where he insisted that he remains the Speaker.
Speaking to journalists at the Lagos State High Court, where Obasa had filed a legal challenge against his removal, Meranda described his actions as embarrassing.
“I think to me that was just a show of shame because in our job we have numbers that form quorum,” she said. “So if you are sitting with three or four members, you are only doing theatre.”
The crisis within the Lagos State House of Assembly deepened as Obasa, representing Agege 1 Constituency, made his first public appearance at the Assembly since his removal on January 13, 2025. His return, accompanied by armed security operatives, came weeks after lawmakers elected Meranda as the new Speaker.
Meranda, who previously served as Obasa’s deputy, was immediately elected to lead the House, making history as the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly.
However, Obasa has continued to challenge the legitimacy of his removal, insisting that due process was not followed.
“I have always said that I have never been removed from office. I am not against any removal,” Obasa stated after returning to the Assembly Complex. “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.”
The standoff has raised concerns about the stability of the state’s legislative process, as both factions remain firm in their positions. With legal proceedings ongoing, the leadership dispute within the Lagos Assembly shows no signs of resolution.
