The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, has condemned the actions of her predecessor, Mudashiru Obasa, who arrived at the Assembly Complex on Thursday, insisting that he remains the Speaker.
Speaking to journalists at the Lagos State High Court, where Obasa had filed an application challenging his removal, Meranda described his behavior as embarrassing.
“I think to me that was just a show of shame because in our job we have numbers that form quorum,” she said. “So if you are sitting with three or four members, you are only doing theatre.”
The crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly deepened on Thursday when Obasa, representing Agege 1 Constituency, made an unexpected appearance at the Assembly Complex. His return came weeks after lawmakers elected Meranda as the new Speaker following his removal on January 13, 2025.
Obasa arrived at the complex accompanied by armed security operatives. Since his removal, he had not been publicly seen within the legislative chamber until his controversial return.
Meranda, who was Obasa’s deputy before his removal, was immediately elected as the new Speaker, making history as the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly.
However, Obasa has maintained that his removal was not properly executed according to legislative rules and the Constitution.
“I have always said that I have never been removed from office. I am not against any removal,” Obasa stated after returning to the Assembly Complex. “If you are going to do that, you must follow the rules of the House. It is constitutional to impeach and remove. You have to follow the dictates of the Constitution.”
The crisis continues as both factions remain firm in their positions, raising concerns about the stability of the state’s legislative process.
