By Mark Mayah
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, have declared unalloyed support to the leadership of the newly sworn-in Speaker, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda.
This is coming on the heels of the impeached immediate Speaker of the Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, insistence that he remain the speaker despite his impeachment.
Recall that Obasa has maintained that his removal as Speaker was unconstitutional, saying that the due process was not followed.
He was removed by 35 out of the 40 members of the assembly on January 13, 2025 over allegations of misconduct and mismanagement of funds and replaced with his former Deputy, Lasbat-Meranda.
Obasa, spoke on Saturday amid cheers from members of the Mandate Movement and politicians from some local governments in the state at the official residence of the Lagos Speaker in GRA, Ikeja.
The former speaker stressed that the allegations made against him by the lawmakers could not be substantiated and that he is the most experienced lawmaker in the assembly having been elected six times since 2003.
However, clarification was affirmed in a statement on Saturday by a lawmaker, Ogundipe Olukayode, representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, on behalf of the majority members of the house.
The statement read in part,”It is imperative to clarify that over 2/3 of the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly are solidly united behind the new Speaker, Rt Hon Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, therefore we stood by the decision taken on the 13th of January where Rt Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa was impeached and we shall defend our positions to the latter.
“As elected representatives of the people of Lagos, we owe them good governance and harmonious relationships with other arms of government.
“The position of the House remains the same and nothing has changed. The position being canvassed by former Speaker, Rt Hon Obasa is uncalled for and unparliamentary.
“The majority of members elected Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker for the 10th Assembly and we also at the said Plenary took the majority decision to remove him and stand by the new Speaker so, nothing has changed.
“All members were elected from their various constituencies across the state and we all have the inalienable rights under the necessary Statutory orders to remove their Principal officers, including the Speaker.
“I therefore, appeal to the former Speaker to toe the line of peace and harmony as being followed by others, as the current intransigent posture will heat up the polity and not augur well. Any attempt to heat up the polity will be resisted by the majority of distinguished members who unanimously elected Rt Hon Meranda.
“Peace we want in Lagos and Peace we will achieve.”
