The leadership crisis engulfing the Lagos State House of Assembly took a dramatic turn on Thursday when ousted Speaker Mudashiru Obasa forcefully resumed office, despite being removed on January 13, 2025.
Obasa’s unexpected return to the Assembly, which occurred around 11:30 AM, threw the institution into further turmoil. Reports indicate that he was escorted by heavily armed security personnel, intensifying the already tense situation, particularly in the absence of the current Speaker, Mojisola Meranda. Though the Assembly is on an indefinite recess, Obasa reportedly broke into the Speaker’s office, asserting his position with a defiant declaration: “I’ve resumed, and I remain the Speaker of the Assembly.”
This development comes in the wake of the controversial withdrawal of security details assigned to Speaker Meranda, as ordered by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Meranda’s aide confirmed that police and SSS operatives were removed, leaving her vulnerable to threats amid the ongoing leadership crisis. The aide has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state’s Chief Security Officer, to intervene to avert further instability.
Adding to the chaos, former and suspended Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, attempted to return to his post on Wednesday, only to be denied entry by security personnel. Onafeko, who was also ousted alongside Obasa, arrived with his lawyer and security detail, attempting to reclaim his office. A viral video surfaced showing Assembly staff jeering at him as he was escorted out, while the Assembly management condemned his “unauthorized entry.”
The crisis began on January 13 when Obasa was removed by 32 out of 40 lawmakers over allegations of “poor leadership, chronic tardiness to sessions and plenaries, high-handedness, and disregard for colleagues and the executive.” Meranda was subsequently elected as the new Speaker.
Despite intervention from President Bola Tinubu, the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Governor Sanwo-Olu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), efforts to resolve the leadership dispute have proven unsuccessful. High-level meetings with APC leaders, including former governors Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba, and Akinwunmi Ambode, were held last weekend to discuss the crisis, but no resolution has been reached.
Recent reports suggest that both Obasa and Meranda may be asked to step aside to make way for a new Speaker, with a member of the Lagos West caucus reportedly favored for the role.
Segun Ajiboye, the Chief Press Secretary to Meranda, confirmed Obasa’s unauthorized return to the Assembly, accusing him of “breaking into the office.”
As tensions rise, various stakeholders are urgently calling for immediate action to restore order and ensure the safety of Speaker Meranda and the integrity of the Assembly complex. Chief Muraina Taiwo, a member of the GAC, confirmed that the party is considering one of the seven lawmakers from Lagos West as a potential new Speaker.
