The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, has condemned her predecessor, Mudashiru Obasa, for allegedly invading her office and presiding over what she described as an “illegitimate plenary.”
On Thursday, Obasa, who has refused to accept his removal as Speaker by 36 lawmakers, stormed the assembly complex and held a session with just four legislators. Despite being ousted, he insisted the process was flawed and declared himself the rightful leader of the house.
His defiance has widened divisions within the assembly, with the majority of lawmakers accusing him of poor leadership. Meanwhile, 26 legislators loyal to Meranda attended a court session on Friday over a lawsuit filed by Obasa to challenge his removal from office.
Speaking after the court proceedings, Meranda maintained that legal action was the best way forward and urged all parties to allow their lawyers to handle the dispute.
“This is actually just the beginning. Just like what happened in there, both parties have their representatives, and I think we should allow the legal team to do their job,” she stated.
Addressing Obasa’s actions at the assembly, Meranda criticized his forceful entry into her office, calling it an embarrassing display.
READ ALSO: Lagos Assembly Declares Obasa’s Plenary Unconstitutional Reaffirms Meranda’s Leadership
“I think he is still a member of the house of assembly, so he has every right to come. But the invasion and breaking into my office, that is really a big one,” she said.
“To me, that was just a show of shame because in our job, we have numbers that form a quorum. So if you are sitting with three or four members, you are only doing theatre.”
Meanwhile, Obasa has issued an apology to the Department of State Services (DSS) over the alleged assault of its personnel at the assembly complex.
The crisis in the Lagos Assembly continues to unfold as both factions battle for legitimacy, leaving the future of the house leadership uncertain.