The Lagos State political landscape witnessed a significant shakeup on Monday as Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, the newly sworn-in Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, met with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and members of the State’s Governance Advisory Council (GAC) at Lagos House, Marina.
Hon. Meranda, representing Apapa 01 Constituency, made history as the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly following the impeachment of the former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
Obasa was removed from office over allegations of financial abuse, misconduct, and the alleged misappropriation of funds.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Hon. Meranda described the engagement with Sanwo-Olu and the GAC as pivotal to fostering collaboration and ensuring stability in the Assembly.
“We are here to brief them about what happened at the House of Assembly yesterday, to seek their blessings, which we have received,” she said, flanked by other lawmakers.
While Meranda’s emergence marks a milestone for women in Lagos politics, the circumstances surrounding her appointment continue to draw public attention.
The former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, was impeached by a unanimous decision of the Assembly amidst claims of misconduct and alleged financial mismanagement, including spending N17 billion on a gate construction project.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, denied any involvement in Obasa’s impeachment, emphasizing that it was a legislative matter.
“It is purely a legislative affair, and the Assembly handled it the best way they could. It has nothing to do with the governor,” Akosile stated, citing the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
The impeachment, announced during a plenary session, also saw the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, suspended indefinitely. Mojeed Fatai was subsequently elected as the new Deputy Speaker.
Lawmakers, in a viral video, described the move as necessary to bring about change in the Assembly’s leadership.
“The members of the House felt we had had enough of the leadership of Mudashiru Obasa,” one lawmaker stated.
Amid the allegations, Obasa denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the claims of financial misappropriation as “spurious and laughable” and attributing them to political blackmail.
His impeachment, however, has fueled speculations about his rumoured 2027 gubernatorial ambition, with some attributing his removal to internal political manoeuvrings within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
While the APC dismissed speculations of interference, opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), have expressed varying opinions on the development.
PDP Deputy Chairman Tai Benedict suggested that Obasa’s impeachment could be tied to his governorship ambitions, while LP Secretary Sam Okpala indicated that the party was monitoring the situation.
As Hon. Meranda begins her tenure, and she faces the challenge of steering the Assembly through the aftermath of Obasa’s impeachment and restoring public confidence in the legislature.
INN-HOUSE☆ 