Today’s (Monday) sitting of the Lagos State House of Assembly may be rancorous except there is an intervention to achieve a middle ground in the political crisis besetting the hallowed chamber.

The Assembly, it was learnt, will be sitting today and two presiding officers, Mojisola Meranda and Mudashiru Obasa, are laying claim to the leadership of the House.

At the weekend, Obasa, who was unseated as head of the legislative arm allegedly by 35 out of the 40 members of the Assembly on January 13, 2025, over allegations of misconduct and mismanagement of funds, returned from his vacation abroad into the waiting arms of his political associates and supporters, announcing he remained the speaker.

Obasa maintained that his removal and replacement did not follow due process, describing the process as unconstitutional.

Speaking to excited supporters and members of the Mandate Movement from across all councils of the state at the official residence of the Lagos Speaker in GRA, Ikeja, Obasa maintained that he remained the speaker until due process was reportedly followed.

According to him, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police led police officers to invade the State Assembly on the day of his removal, adding that over 200 policemen also invaded his private residence in Agege and blocked the gate, while they prevented members of his family from going out.

“I am not afraid of being removed, after all, it is not my father’s chieftaincy title. I am representing my people and they have returned me six times. If you want to do anything, do it well.

“They did the removal all because I was out of the country. Lagos is a special place, we cannot denigrate the state.

“When former speaker, Rt. Hon Jokotola Pelumi was removed, he was in the assembly and we did not invite policemen. When my sister, former deputy speaker of the House, Adefunmilayo Tejuosho was removed, we did not invite the police.

“They should not discredit an innocent person; they should prove their allegations against me. The Lagos State House of Assembly is above the common standard of excellence.

“I believe in the image of our institution, we must not destroy it and I will never partake in its destruction.

“I appreciate the members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu of the state, he is my brother and he always calls me his younger brother,” he stated.

But hours after Obasa’s pronouncement, a statement was issued stating the position of the other lawmakers, with his colleagues in the Assembly, insisting that Obasa remained removed as speaker, rather than pledging their loyalty to the new speaker, Meranda.

a statement by the immediate past House Committee Chairman on Information and Security, Ogundipe Stephen Olukayode, the lawmakers maintained that they are solidly united behind the new speaker.

“It is imperative to clarify that over 2/3 of the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly are solidly united behind the new Speaker, Rt Hon Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, therefore we stand by the decision taken on the 13th of January where Rt Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa was impeached, and we shall defend our positions to the letter. As elected representatives of the people of Lagos, we owe them good governance and harmonious relationships with other arms of government.

TWO former Speakers, Olorunimbe Mamora and Adeyemi Ikuforiji, have cautioned the deposed Speaker against actions capable of causing him more injuries in his political career.

The duo termed Obasa’s dismissal speaker as flippant.Speaking in a similar vein, a three-time member of the state cabinet and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr. Muiz Banire, stated that there was no iota of error or unconstitutionality in the way the immediate past Speaker was impeached.

A Nigerian civil and political rights activist, Dr. Wale Ajewunmi, in his observation, called attention of the leadership of Lagos All Progressives Congress (APC), on the need to caution the immediate past Speaker from making inciting utterances that could harm the peace enjoyed in the state.

This is just as some members of the Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), have reportedly advised Obasa to approach the court and challenge his removal if he felt uncomfortable with the process.

Meanwhile, one of the lawmakers, who was part of the delegate whom President Bola Tinubu insisted must be present while he (President) met with Obasa in Abuja recently disclosed that the removed Speaker just abused and did contrary to what they agreed upon with Mr. President.

According to him, “The President did not fault the impeachment and as a democrat he wouldn’t do that. We were only told to allow Obasa to remove his belongings from the Speaker’s quarter at Isaac John Ikeja without putting him under any form of pressure.

“What Obasa did on Saturday by granting a press conference and also ranting about remaining the Speaker was contrary to what was expected of him.”

Meanwhile, Mamora, in a statement issued in response to Obasa’s press conference, affirmed the constitutionality of the immediate past Speaker’s removal. (The Guardian)