Thirty-six of the 40 members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have reaffirmed their support for the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, following the takeover of her office by ousted Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
The lawmakers gathered at the Assembly garden on Thursday, standing by their 17 February vote of confidence in Meranda, despite Obasa’s return, allegedly aided by armed men and thugs.
A lawmaker, speaking anonymously, emphasised that they remain committed to ensuring Obasa’s removal stands.
‘He was not elected as Speaker by his constituency. We endured his master-slave leadership for nearly a decade. Now, we’ve had enough, and we’re not backing down’, the lawmaker stated.
Meanwhile, two lawmakers — Hon. Ayinde Akinsanya (Mushin Constituency I) and Hon. Noheem Adams (Mushin Constituency II) — were spotted accompanying Obasa into the Assembly complex.
At the time of filing this report, Obasa’s loyalists had forced open the Speaker’s office, while thugs reportedly occupied strategic areas of the complex. Armed miscreants were also seen making threats, vowing to seize all offices in the Assembly.
Access roads to the complex had been blocked by suspected Obasa supporters, who arrived in unmarked Kombi buses, forcing motorists to take alternative routes.
Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Hon. Stephen Ogundipe condemned the situation, urging calm.
‘This is Lagos, the State House of Assembly. We are shocked by what is happening today. If there is an issue, leadership should address us directly, not subject us to this charade’, he said.
Ogundipe described the disruption as an embarrassment, recalling how security operatives prevented him from entering the Assembly.
However, addressing the media, Obasa insisted he remains the Speaker and denied being impeached.
He said: ‘I was on vacation, and I am back, which means the House is in session. There is nothing like impeachment. Any attempt to remove me must follow due process’.
He maintained that he holds no grudges against his colleagues and insisted that the All Progressives Congress remains a united party.
‘Obasa is the Speaker’, he further said.
In a statement, Special Adviser on Information to the Speaker, Mr. Victor Ganzallo said: ‘In an alarming and unprecedented turn of events, all the police escorts assigned to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, as well as the security personnel guarding the Assembly complex, have been withdrawn without any explanation. This sudden action has left the Speaker and the entire legislative house dangerously exposed, raising serious concerns about the motives behind this decision.
‘It is important to stress that Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda was duly elected by her colleagues, and her leadership was reinforced with a strong vote of confidence . The timing of the withdrawal of security, combined with the hostile actions of the former Speaker and his associates, raises the question: Is this politically motivated, or is this part of a larger strategy to destabilize the current administration?
‘This troubling development is also noteworthy for what it might signify about the underlying gender dynamics at play. Could this act of aggression be a reflection of the deep-seated bias against female leadership in the political arena? Is Rt. Hon. Meranda’s role as a woman Speaker being used as a justification for such brazen intimidation and disruption?
‘It has come to our attention that these actions are tied to the ongoing internal power struggle regarding the removal of the former Speaker. Speculation suggests that this latest move is aimed at weakening the current leadership and creating instability within the Lagos State House of Assembly.
‘We demand an immediate clarification from both the police and the state government on their roles in these actions. The absence of security for those in leadership positions raises serious questions about the safety and protection of public officials in Lagos. If such intimidation can occur at the highest levels, what protection is there for the ordinary citizens of Lagos?
‘This situation must not be allowed to stand unchallenged. We call for a full investigation into these actions and demand accountability from all involved parties’.
