Thirty-six out of the 40 members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have reaffirmed their support for Speaker Mojisola Meranda, following an attempted takeover of her office by former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
The lawmakers gathered at the Assembly complex on Thursday, standing by their February 17 vote of confidence in Meranda.
They alleged that Obasa, who was previously removed, returned with the backing of armed men and thugs to reclaim his position.
A lawmaker, speaking anonymously, insisted that Obasa’s removal remains valid.
“He was not elected as Speaker by his constituency. We endured his autocratic leadership for nearly a decade, and we are determined not to let him return,” the lawmaker said.
However, two lawmakers—Ayinde Akinsanya (Mushin Constituency I) and Noheem Adams (Mushin Constituency II)—were seen accompanying Obasa into the Assembly complex.
At the time of reporting, Obasa’s loyalists had forced open the Speaker’s office, while groups of thugs reportedly took control of key areas within the complex.
Witnesses also reported seeing armed men making threats and vowing to take over all offices in the Assembly.
Supporters of Obasa blocked access roads to the complex, arriving in unmarked buses and forcing motorists to find alternative routes.
Reacting to the situation, Stephen Ogundipe, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, condemned the events and called for calm.
“This is the Lagos State House of Assembly. We are shocked by what is happening. If there are leadership issues, they should be addressed through proper channels, not through intimidation,” he said.
Ogundipe described the disruption as an embarrassment and revealed that security operatives had prevented him from entering the Assembly complex.
“We completely reject Obasa’s return,” he said.
Meanwhile, addressing the press, Obasa maintained that he is still the Speaker and denied being impeached.
“I was on vacation, and now I’m back, which means the House is in session. There was no impeachment. Any attempt to remove me must follow due process,” he stated.
He also insisted that he holds no grudges against his colleagues and reaffirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains united.
“Obasa is the Speaker,” he concluded.
