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LAGOS LAWMAKERS REAFFIRM SUPPORT FOR MERANDA, REJECT OBASA

Thirty-six members of the Lagos State House of Assembly loyal to Mojisola Meranda reaffirmed their support for her as the legitimate leader of the House, rejecting the return of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker. The lawmakers convened at the Assembly garden, maintaining their stance based on their February 17 vote of confidence in Meranda. Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Stephen Ogundipe, condemned the ongoing situation and called for calm. “This is Lagos, the State House of Assembly. We’re shocked to see what’s happening here today,” he said. Ogundipe expressed frustration at being stopped from entering the assembly chamber and called for the leadership to address the lawmakers directly. “We expect our leaders, who earlier told us to remain calm, to come and address us and tell us where we went wrong or what really went wrong,” he said. The lawmakers chorused in agreement, “We reject Obasa in totality,” with Ogundipe declaring, “We reject Obasa in totality.”

LAGOS ASSEMBLY CONFIRMS RELEASE OF DETAINED MEMBERS BY DSS

The Lagos State House of Assembly has confirmed that some of its members who were detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) over the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker have been released. The House commended the engagement with the DSS after the legislators honoured the invitation of the security agency to provide insights into the situation. According to a statement signed by Ogundipe Stephen on behalf of the legislators, the removal of the former speaker was done in compliance with the constitution and the rules guiding the Assembly’s internal procedures without external interference. The statement emphasized that the January 13th action followed the provisions of Sections 92 and 96, which outline the process for the election and removal of the Speaker. The former speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, had earlier insisted that he remained the speaker because his removal was not carried out according to the rules. However, the Assembly maintained that his removal was lawful and in the best interest of the people of Lagos. Some members of the Assembly, including Ogunkelu Sylvester, Gbolahan Yishawu, and Lanre Affinih, were earlier invited for questioning by the DSS before they were joined by their colleagues at the Shangisha State office of the security agency on Thursday.

LAGOS ASSEMBLY SPEAKER MUDASHIRU OBASA IMPEACHED OVER ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AND ABUSE OF OFFICE

Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has been impeached by 32 members of the House over allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement. Obasa’s impeachment comes amid accusations of gross misconduct and abuse of office, including the alleged spending of N17 billion on a gate to the assembly complex, which critics argue is excessive and fraudulent. The lawmakers subsequently elected Mojisola Meranda, representative of Apapa I, as the new speaker. Meranda, in her oath of office, pledged to perform her functions honestly and in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “I affirm that I will be faithful as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly; That I will perform my functions honestly to the best of my ability, faithfully, and in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she said. The Deputy Chief Whip, Hon Fatai Mojeed, was also elected as the Deputy Speaker. Obasa’s impeachment has been a subject of controversy, with some of his supporters attempting to invade the assembly complex. However, security personnel intercepted and arrested the miscreants, recovering charms and amulets from them. The Clerk of the Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, who was reportedly single-handedly brought to the assembly by Obasa, was also removed from office. Both Obasa and Onafeko were behind the ban on journalists covering the activities of the assembly. The premises and environs of the assembly have been taken over by armed personnel of the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos Task Force, and the Police, who have turned back motorists and persons from gaining access.