One legislature, two speakers: Inside Lagos assembly’s house of commotion

The Lagos state house of assembly descended into chaos on January 13, when Mudashiru Obasa, its speaker of nearly a decade, was removed while abroad.

In a twist worthy of a Hollywood script, 36 of 40 lawmakers ousted him, electing Mojisola Meranda, his deputy, as the first female speaker in the state’s history. But Obasa didn’t fade quietly.

On Thursday, he stormed the assembly, flanked by armed police officers and loyalists, declaring himself the rightful leader of the house, while Meranda’s security vanished and rumours of her resignation went viral.

As lawmakers split, supporters clashed. The saga exposed raw ambition, fragile alliances, and a ruling party teetering on the edge of the precipice.

What began as a routine power shift has morphed into a full-blown crisis, gripping Lagos and testing the resilience of its political machinery.

LEGISLATIVE AMBUSH? OBASA GOES TO COURT

Obasa is not going down without a fight.

He has faulted the process that led to his removal, which he branded a “legislative ambush”.

His legal team, led by Afolabi Fashanu, a senior advocate, argued that the impeachment breached the 1999 constitution and the assembly’s standing orders.

Obasa’s suit, filed on February 12, claimed the session occurred during a recess without proper authorisation, rendering the removal process “unconstitutional”.

“Impeachment is democratic, but it must follow laid-down rules,” Obasa told journalists on February 27.

The embattled speaker insisted that the 90% vote (36 lawmakers) that ousted him was a “hasty power grab, not justice”.

Obasa rejected allegations of financial misappropriation levelled against him by lawmakers, describing them as “ridiculous and untrue.”

The lawmakers countered Obasa’s position with sections 92 and 96 of the constitution, declaring the assembly’s autonomy to regulate proceedings.

The lawmakers claimed Obasa’s removal was lawful and in Lagosians’ interest.

On Thursday, he presided over an “unusual” plenary with just four loyalists, a symbolic jab at Meranda’s majority-backed control.

About 26 lawmakers, including the speaker, showed up at the high court in Lagos on Friday during the hearing of Obasa’s case.

Legal experts said the case hinged on procedure over politics. If Obasa proves the process was flawed, he could displace Meranda.

For now, the gavel rests with the court.

SECURITY RESHUFFLING: WHO IS MEDDLING WITH THE POLICE?

If the legal front is a chess game, the security reshuffle on Thursday seemed like a blatant power play.

Hours before Obasa stormed into the assembly complex with armed police and alleged thugs, Meranda’s security detail, including police and aides assigned to the speaker’s office, all vanished.

“She’s on her own now,” Ganzallo Victor, Meranda’s spokesperson, told the media. This development raised alarms about her safety amid the escalating crisis.

By midday, Obasa’s security, previously stripped post-impeachment, was back in place, escorting him as he reclaimed the speaker’s office.

Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson of the Lagos police command, did not respond to requests for comments on the matter.

The optics were stark: one leader vulnerable, the other fortified.

Obasa’s supporters thronged the gates, chanting for his return. That afternoon, he held a press conference, claiming Meranda resigned at an All Progressives Congress (APC) meeting in Marina and added that he has reinstated himself as speaker.

By evening, Moshood Jimoh, Lagos commissioner of police, said Meranda’s security had been restored after an “audit” of personnel.

 Following the court hearing on Friday, Meranda told the media that she is left with about four police officers.

 “I’m left with three or four police men, whereas my normal convoy would be 12 police officers, four DSS and two anti-bomb,” she said.

LAGOS APC: IT’S SMALL FAMILY QUARREL

At the heart of this chaos lies the Lagos APC,  now stumbling under its own weight. Obasa’s removal seemed to have splintered the party, pitting factions against each other as the 2025 local elections loom.

President Bola Tinubu, the APC’s Lagos godfather, was rumoured to have ordered Obasa’s reinstatement during a Christmas visit, a directive the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) reportedly pushed for during a tense Marina meeting with Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other lawmakers.

The GAC is the highest decision-making body of the APC in Lagos.

The GAC has reportedly floated a compromise that both Obasa and Meranda should step aside for a Lagos-west speaker, but the discussion is stalled.

Seye Oladejo, APC spokesperson in Lagos, downplayed the assembly crisis, calling it a minor dispute within the party’s ranks.

He described the crisis in the assembly as a “mere quarrel with members of a family,” adding that it is going to be resolved “soon”.

Oladejo said a meeting was convened involving Bisi Akande, the former governor of Osun, and Olusegun Osoba, the former governor of Ogun, with members of the GAC to resolve the crisis.

He said the meeting was initiated as part of a broader strategy to find a resolution, leveraging the experience and influence of prominent political figures to mediate in the matter.

“The leaders of the party are interfacing with all sides to resolve this dispute. Small and family issues are part of any group, but we have a necessary mechanism to handle them,” he told TheCable.

“The legislature has its independence and must stand firm. The party is not there to cow them or deny their leadership qualities. The party is in tune with democracy; we must respect that process.

“GAC, to the extent of its advisory role, will keep advising the house, but its role stops there —advising, not dictating. No blame on the party itself; talks are going. 

“APC is not throwing its weight behind any party in the quarrel. We aim for peace and unity, not division.”

The Lagos assembly crisis transcends a mere battle for the speaker’s seat. As the judiciary weighs in and rival factions entrench their positions, Lagosians are left to observe a drama that prioritises political survival over effective governance.