There is no end in sight to the leadership crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly as the 35 lawmakers who removed Mudashiru Obasa as speaker insisted that the embattled lawmaker would not be reinstated.
According to the lawmakers, the new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, remains the leader of the Assembly despite Obasa’s declaration that he had resumed his position.
Obasa had gone to the Assembly on Thursday after his security details were restored.
He also held a plenary session with four lawmakers.
“I’ve resumed, and I remain the Speaker of the Assembly. I’ve never been removed. Impeachment or removal is democratic and constitutional, but in doing that, you must follow due process. I am not against that. If I do that, then I am not democratic,” Obasa told reporters on the premises of the House.
Obasa’s action came after some notable chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress met with the lawmakers on Monday.
The chieftains, including former governors of Osun and Ogun states, Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba, respectively, alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other party bigwigs, also met with members of the Governance Advisory Council at Marina, Lagos, in a bid to find a solution to the crisis.
According to sources at the meeting, the panel recommended the resignation of Obasa upon his return and that Meranda should also step down to pave the way for another lawmaker from the Lagos West Senatorial District to emerge as Speaker.
However, the arrangement appeared to have collapsed on Thursday following Obasa’s return to the Assembly with new security escorts.
President Tinubu linked to Obasa’s return
There were indications that the presidency supported Obasa’s return to the Assembly, especially with the restoration of his security team.
Saturday PUNCH gathered from an insider among Lagos APC chieftains that Obasa’s return was the outcome of a meeting he held with some party leaders loyal to President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.
According to the source, the APC leaders met Obasa at the Lagos House, Marina, and spent hours indoors.
He said, “The meeting started late Wednesday evening and ended in the early hours of Thursday. Around 7am to 8am, you could easily tell from some of Obasa’s close aides that something in their favour was about to happen. The lawmaker’s return to the Assembly, I strongly believe, is a result of the meeting because the APC leaders are some of the right-hand men of Mr President.
“The true story of the Akande-led peace meeting is that the lawmakers rejected the proposal that Meranda should step down. It will also interest you that the lawmakers from Lagos West, whom the panel asked to produce one of their own as Meranda’s replacement, also rejected the offer. They said they were okay with her leadership.
“After persuasion, the lawmakers reluctantly agreed to have Honourable Setonji David as the new Speaker. But you could see the objection on their faces. Obasa and the President must have seen the lawmakers’ reluctance to implement the resolution, hence Thursday’s turn of events.”
Also, an APC leader, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, described Obasa’s return to the Assembly as a “massive political statement.”
“Obasa’s resumption as the Assembly Speaker is a massive political statement in the political squabble. The fact that he held a plenary session in the House suggests that the pendulum is swinging in his favour. Also, by having the full complement of security with him, your guess is as good as mine,” he said.
The APC chieftain, who is a staunch loyalist of President Tinubu, said the GAC might be disbanded, adding that there would be casualties at the end of the crisis.
He said, “The current crisis will mark the end of the influence of the so-called Governance Advisory Council. The fact that they couldn’t resolve the crisis and the President had to bring in a panel of three wise men, typically imported from outside Lagos, undermines the influence and importance of the GAC. The GAC has been found culpable; they are taking sides in this quarrel. Things will never be the same again in Lagos APC.
“With all these developments, I can assure you that the President will be focusing on paying more attention to details in Lagos politics. He has to begin to interrogate the commitment and loyalty of these so-called leaders.”
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, an aspirant in Lagos West, who asked not to be identified due to the nature of the matter, said, “Tinubu’s handwriting on the Lagos Assembly crisis is clear on the wall.”
“Mr President intervened in the crisis between Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, but he wants us to believe that he closed his eyes to what is happening in the Lagos State House of Assembly. We know Obasa has the President’s backing, and that is why he is acting the way he is. If Mr President wants us to believe he is neutral in this crisis, he should come out openly and give a direction on the matter,” he added.
However, Obasa, during an interview on Thursday, said he was acting alone, though he was a loyalist of the President.
Assembly deserted as security operatives take charge
There was heavy security presence at the Lagos Assembly complex on Friday, as operatives from the state police command, task force, and armed mobile policemen secured the premises.
Armed officers stood under the trees lining the three roads leading to the Assembly gate, while others rested inside the numerous security vehicles parked along the roads.
Within the Assembly complex, clusters of policemen sat in groups, maintaining a watchful presence.
At least 25 patrol vehicles from various police divisions were stationed on the road. The pedestrian gate remained shut, with two police officers positioned in front, while a state task force van was placed near the entrance.
Beyond the armed officers at the gate, two Assembly workers were seen inspecting approaching vehicles and redirecting individuals away from the entrance.
Movement was also restricted around the Lagos State Recreation Park, close to the Assembly gate, as a large number of policemen sat in clusters.
A female Assembly staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the heightened security presence began on Thursday but escalated on Friday when the crisis deepened.
“As you can see, the whole complex is quite empty. On a normal day, people would be all over the stairs. I guess what happened on Thursday made people stay away today.
“The security situation here is unusual. It started yesterday, and when we arrived this morning, we saw that the number of officers had doubled. I believe it’s because of the ongoing issue,” she said.
Lawyers clash in court
A mild drama ensued on Friday at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, when two lawyers claimed to be the counsel for the Assembly during the hearing of a suit filed by Obasa to challenge his removal.
Obasa, in suit number ID/9047GCM/2025, filed before Justice Yetunde Pinheiro, is contesting the constitutionality of the House’s sitting and proceedings during a recess, which occurred without the Speaker reconvening the House or delegating the authority to someone else.
His lawyer, Afolabi Fashanu, filed the suit on his behalf.
When the matter was called, Fashanu appeared for Obasa, while Mr Femi Falana, SAN, appeared for the Assembly.
Mr Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, represented Meranda, and Mr Olu Daramola, SAN, represented parties seeking to be joined in the suit.
However, a mild confrontation occurred when another counsel, Abang Mkpandiok, stood up to challenge Falana’s representation of the Assembly.
Mkpandiok claimed that he had been briefed the previous night by the Assembly and had filed a motion for a change of counsel that morning.
He argued that the right to choose counsel was a fundamental human right and asked the court to address his application first.
Mkpandiok told the court that his law firm had been briefed just the day before to represent the House of Assembly in the suit, and he had filed the necessary documents, although they had not yet been served on the parties.
However, Falana objected, stating that he had not been served with the application and remained the counsel on record for the Assembly.
Falana maintained that he was still the authorised lawyer for the first defendant and had not been informed of any decision to change counsel.
Oyetibo also pointed out that he had not been served with the application.
Mkpandiok then chose to serve the application on the other counsel in court.
After reviewing the court’s records, Justice Pinheiro noted that the application for a change of counsel was not yet ready for hearing.
The court said, “As counsel himself has admitted, that application has not been served on all parties. I will defer it pending compliance with the rules of court.”
The court also ruled that the application for an expedited hearing would not be addressed.
During the proceedings, Daramola informed the court of a motion on notice filed by 33 members of the Assembly, who sought to be joined as parties in the suit.
The motion sought two main reliefs: an order to add the individuals seeking to be co-defendants and an order compelling the claimant to amend the originating and other processes to include their names as defendants.
Justice Pinheiro fixed March 7, 2025, for the hearing of all pending applications.
My security details yet to return – Meranda
Speaking after the court hearing, Meranda stated that the full complement of her security had yet to be restored.
She said, “I have my people and God with me. Three or four policemen are also with me. Whereas, in my normal convoy, my team comprises two policemen, four DSS, and two anti-bomb operatives. But I don’t have that with me this morning.”
When a reporter asked Meranda, “Can you respond to what happened yesterday when the speaker (Obasa) was at the Assembly…?” she responded by asking, “Which speaker?”
The other lawmakers behind her also joined in querying the reporter.
The reporter retracted, saying, “The removed speaker,” after which Meranda responded to her question.
She said, “I think he (Obasa) is still a member of the Lagos House of Assembly, so he has every right to come. But invasion and breaking into my office is really a big one.”
Meranda declined to comment on whether the House would institute any suit against Obasa for his actions at the Assembly on Wednesday.
She described the plenary held by Obasa on Wednesday as a show of shame.
“To me, that was just a show of shame. Because in our job, we have numbers that form a quorum. So, if you are sitting with three or four members, you’re only doing a drama,” she added.
Meranda said the lawmakers would soon hold their sitting, contrary to Obasa’s declaration that the House had gone on recess.
Also speaking after the court proceedings, the spokesperson for the Assembly, Ogundipe Olukayode, declared that a total of 35 lawmakers, including Meranda, were resolute on the ongoing crisis.
“We are 35 as we speak, including Madam Speaker. The House will reconvene. We are consulting with our leaders, and I know the party is also taking steps. The right thing will be done at the right time. But let’s assure Lagosians that we are still committed to our party, our leadership, and to serving the people of Lagos State.”
In separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, some other lawmakers urged leaders of the party to respect their decision.
The lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency II, David Setonji, said he was fully in support of Meranda’s leadership.
Setonji, who spoke through his media aide, Posu Davies, said Obasa was rejected and would not return as speaker.
He said, “Meranda is the recognised Speaker. Obasa was rejected, and he is not coming back as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. We are fully in support of Madam Speaker.”
Another lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Obasa’s action showed that he could no longer be trusted with power, insisting that the ousted speaker was just grandstanding.
A lawmaker, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons, alleged that the President was backing Obasa.
He said, “Obasa cannot be that confident if there is no one backing him. It is President Bola Tinubu who is backing him. The GAC has divided into two; while some support Obasa, others support Meranda. But the larger number supports Meranda.”
A senior legal practitioner, who begged not to be named, said the Federal Government was behind the crisis in the House.
He said, “Where did Obasa get the power to control the police? In the last few days, the DSS director was changed, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos was changed, three House of assembly members were charged. All these point to Abuja.”
GAC, APC react
The Chairman of the GAC, Tajudeen Olusi, said members of the group had already advised the warring parties.
He said, “The GAC is an advisory body, and we have given our advice privately to those involved. What we told them is not meant for the public; the party is in the best position to intervene when things are getting out of hand.”
The Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos State, Seye Oladejo, called for peace.
He said, “It is like a quarrel between siblings of the same parents and the parents should not be seen taking sides while trying to make peace. They (lawmakers) were still at the party secretariat yesterday (Thursday) and we are trying to make everybody see reasons that we are all members of the same family.
“While trying to resolve the issue, we are trying to respect the independence of the legislature, so it remains the business of the lawmakers to find an amicable solution and let things return to normal.”
Oladejo denied the involvement of the President in the crisis.