Lagos assembly impeaches Obasa, elects Mojisola Meranda as first female speaker

The Lagos state house of assembly has impeached Mudashiru Obasa as speaker.

Obasa, who is serving his third term as speaker, was removed from his position over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office.

The 52-year-old lawmaker, who represents Agege state constituency I, became speaker of the Lagos state house of assembly in 2015.

Mojisola Meranda, the deputy speaker, was subsequently elected to lead the house.

Meranda, who took her oath of office immediately, would serve as the first female speaker of the Lagos legislature.

Speaking to journalists after Obasa’s impeachment on Monday, a member of the house said the decision was unanimous.

The legislator also confirmed that all principal positions and standing committees in the assembly have been dissolved

“It is just a change of baton. It is only death that is constant. Change is inevitable,” the member said.

”The members of the parliament, today, have decided to change the leadership of the house. And the constitution makes it clear that the house has the power to regulate its proceedings.

“So, members of the house felt we have had enough of Rt. Honourable Mudashiru Obasa; and today, we have unanimously agreed that Rt. Honourable Mojisola Meranda becomes the speaker.

“It was a resolution concurred to by all members of the parliament and so be it. Honourable Fatai Adebola is deputy speaker of the house of assembly.

“And as we speak, all the principal positions have been dissolved. All standing committees stand dissolved.”

CONTROVERSIES DURING OBASA’S LEADERSHIP 

In 2023, the assembly faced public backlash after rejecting 17 out of 39 commissioner nominees submitted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

At the time, Obasa denied any rift with the governor, although the issue prompted a meeting with the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.

More recently, the Obasa-led assembly proposed a bill to restructure local governance in the state.

The bill sought to replace the existing 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) created in 2003 by Bola Tinubu, former governor of the state, with democratically elected local governments, recognising only 20 LGAs as outlined in the 1999 Constitution.

However, in a statement seen as a counter, Cornelius Ojelabi, the APC chairman in Lagos, insisted that elections would still hold in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs in 2025.