The Lagos State House of Assembly speakership crisis may soon be resolved, thanks to the intervention of a presidential mediation team.
The team, led by senior All Progressives Congress (APC) members, including former governors Chief Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba, and Akinwunmi Ambode, aims to address the ongoing leadership dispute.
This development follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive to find a solution to the crisis, which has been ongoing since January 13, 2025, when Mudashiru Obasa was impeached as Speaker and replaced by Princess Mojisola Meranda, the former Deputy Speaker following the inability of the Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC) to resolve the crisis.
To pour oil on the waters, Obasa and Meranda, might be stepping aside for another lawmaker to lead the House.
Persecondnews recalls that the crisis started smouldering on January 13, 2025, when 36 lawmakers of the 40-member legislature removed Obasa as speaker.
The lawmakers had accused the impeached speaker of poor leadership style, perpetual lateness to legislative sections and plenary, high-handedness and disregard for fellow lawmakers and the executive arm of government, especially the governor, abuse of office and privileges, intimidation and oppression of members, misappropriation, among others.
Obasa, who was away in Atlanta, United States, when he was removed, had since faulted his removal, insisting he is still the speaker.
He told newsmen: “My status in the house? I strongly believe I am still the speaker until the right thing has been done. If you want to remove me, remove me the proper way and I will not contest it.”
On Sunday, February 23, Osoba, Ambode, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and all the GAC members met at the Government House, Marina, over the crisis.
A GAC member, Chief Muraina Taiwo, who spoke on the outcome of the meeting on Monday, disclosed that one of the seven lawmakers from Lagos West, being the largest senatorial district in the state without representation in the leadership of the House, was being considered by the party leaders as the new Speaker.
“The issue will die down soon. Between now and the middle of next week, everything will become clearer. The APC leaders, including Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Olusegun Osoba, came to mediate.
“They will go back to Abuja to brief our leader (Tinubu) how they feel about everything. They are suggesting to Speaker Obasa that he should step down and the other woman (Meranda) to also step down and they will bring in another new person.
“They are thinking of submitting a few names but all will land at the table of the leader.
“You know the House is working based on seniority, that is, if you’ve spent two years at the House, you’re qualified to hold a higher position than someone in first tenure. So they will go back to Abuja with seven names of the seniors in the House and from Lagos West.
“The seven of them are ranking members in Lagos West. They are the ones whose names will be submitted to President Tinubu.”
Persecondnews reports that Speaker Meranda is from Lagos Central, the same senatorial district with Gov. Sanwo-Olu.
Author
Leave a comment