Lagos Assembly welcomes Meranda, amid Obasa’s reinstatement report

• GAC keeps mum after meeting

Amid trending report claiming that President Bola Tinubu had directed members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to reinstate the removed Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, the new speaker Mojisola Meranda, yesterday, got a rousing welcome from the staff of the Assembly, under the umbrella of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), singing the praises of the Speaker and pledging their loyalty.

The widely circulated report, which originated from an online platform and quickly went viral on Sunday, alleged that President Tinubu had pressured lawmakers to reinstate Obasa, three weeks after his removal.

According to the viral claims, Tinubu purportedly argued that the political cost of Obasa’s removal outweighed the benefits of holding him accountable for alleged corruption and abuse of office.

“The President has sent instructions that we should start preparing to let him come back,” an unnamed Lagos politician reportedly told the online platform.
The same report also suggested that Obasa would return for a brief period before resigning on his terms. However, lawmakers within the Assembly have rejected the claim, emphasising that Obasa’s return remains unlikely, particularly given the overwhelming support for his removal.

A legislator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that reinstating Obasa would be akin to pacifying a snake after its head was severed. Obasa was ousted on January 13 by 32 of the 40 Assembly members, who cited misconduct, misappropriation of funds, breach of public trust, and highhandedness as reasons for his removal.

His replacement, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, has since garnered wide acceptance, receiving endorsements from political heavyweights, including President Tinubu, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and senior members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC). A lawmaker, also speaking on condition of anonymity, affirmed the legitimacy of Meranda’s election.

“This is nothing but fake news. She has met with the President, the governor, the GAC, and past Assembly members from the first to the ninth Assemblies. There have also been numerous courtesy calls and endorsements confirming her leadership,” he said.

MEANWHILE, the hope the controversy around the removal of Obasa would be put to rest, yesterday, was dashed, as members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) met at the State House, Marina, yesterday on the ouster, but declined to comment on the outcome of their meeting.

Journalists, who had gathered at the State House, Marina to get briefed on the matter, were disappointed when the GAC said they would not be speaking to the media on the issue.

The Guardian learnt that the last meeting the GAC had, the members were polarised with some in support of the removal of Obasa, while other sharply opposed it. They had agreed to take the matter to President Bola Tinubu for the final decision.

It was not clear whether GAC needed to get Tinubu’s approval to make its position known as it was learnt that Tinibu had earlier told the GAC to have a common position before approaching him on the matter.

There are, however, speculations that even if Obasa is not returned, some political leaders and politicians are working on Meranda steps down for a lawmaker from Lagos West Senatorial District for political balancing.