In Clinically Plotted Coup, Lagos Speaker Impeached While Returning Home from US

•Lawmakers say they’ve had enough of him  

•His deputy, Moji Meranda, takes over  

•Assembly clerk suspended, replaced in acting capacity

Segun James

In a well-executed civilian coup, some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, numbering 32, yesterday, impeached the speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, while he was in transit from faraway Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States.

The lawmakers claimed they had had enough of Obasa and simply decided to try someone else, saying change is the only thing that is constant.

Upon removal of Obasa, who had been Speaker since 2015, they promptly replaced him with his deputy, Hon Mojisola Meranda.

Deputy Chief Whip of the Assembly, Hon. Fatai Mojeed, was also elected the new Deputy Speaker. 

All existing structures in the legislature, including the standing committees, were equally dissolved.

Following in the same wind of change, the Assembly suspended its Clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, and replaced him with Mr. Abubakar Ottun, in acting capacity.

The latest development came a few weeks after Obasa was alleged to have displayed open disrespect for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the 2025 budget presentation by the governor.

The impeached speaker had also seized the opportunity to hint at his own political plans, including a possible shot at the governorship.

Although the accusations levelled against Obasa bordered on corruption, the move to impeach him had been on the cards for some months following his battle with Sanwo-Olu.

Obasa had been embroiled in a series of controversies concerning his handling of the Assembly and the finances of the state legislature.

The impeachment of the longest serving Speaker of the Assembly, who was first elected in 2015, happened during an emergency plenary over alleged misappropriation of funds and lack of transparency in the management of the Assembly.

The motion to remove him was moved under Matter of Urgent Public Importance by Hon. Femi Saheed.

Saheed stated, “In line with provisions of section 92(2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Obasa is accused of gross misconduct and poor leadership, which included perpetual lateness to legislative sessions and meetings, high-handedness and lack of regard for honourable members, gross abuse of office and privileges, intimidation and oppression of honourable members by inciting members against one another, amongst others.”

Saheed alleged that Obasa also “practices an authoritarian and undemocratic leadership style in discharging his duties,” and ought to be removed.

Following the adoption of the motion, the impeachment was made by the 32 members through a voice vote.

Subsequently, Meranda emerged as new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, while Mojeed emerged Deputy Speaker.

THISDAY had exclusively reported that a prominent political leader in Lagos State, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, had reported Obasa to President Bola Tinubu while giving a situation report.

Olusi not only accused Obasa of being insubordinate to political leaders in the state, but also alleged that he had been rude to Sanwo-Olu, who had been tolerating him on account of his perceived closeness to Tinubu.

Obasa had recently been vocal on his ambition to be governor of Lagos State, and even declared that no one could stop him.

Since 2023, he had been at daggers-drawn with Sanwo-Olu over issues of political control. He refused to clear some nominees of the governor for the executive council until he was given two slots by the governor.

Every year, he had refused to attend the signing of the state’s appropriation bill, apparently, seeing it as beneath him. Also, he was said never to have attended events where the governor was present, and if he did, he had deliberately come late after the governor was seated, in blatant breach of protocol.

The lastest of such actions happened on Sunday, January 5th, during the state’s annual thanksgiving service at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan.

Obasa’s removal came after he allegedly oversaw the withdrawal of N43.5 billion for back-up vehicles for lawmakers, as well as other controversial activities.

Obasa, 52, was first elected Speaker on June 8, 2015, resuming office alongside former governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. He was the second speaker of the Lagos Assembly to be impeached since the inception of the Fourth Republic 1999, after Hon. Jokotola Pelumi in 2005.

Repeated charges of fraud and political thuggery had marked his speakership. In 2020, Obasa allegedly diverted the Assembly’s funds to his personal firms and bank accounts.

He was once invited for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the anti-graft office became overwhelmed by media reports about Obasa’s alleged financial mismanagement. He denied all the allegations, and no charges were filed after he met with detectives of the agency.

However, there are indications that Obasa may be picked up by EFCC as soon as he touches down at the airport from the US today.

With her election yesterday, Meranda became Lagos State’s first female speaker.

Taking her oath of office, Meranda, who represents Apapa 1 Constituency, said, “I affirm that I will be faithful as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.”

Between 2007 and 2008, she worked in the oil and gas industry with Cirrus Nigeria Limited as a procurement manager.

A core Lagos indigene, Meranda is the younger sister of the Oniru of Oruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal.

She joined politics in 2008, playing active roles in Apapa Local Government Area, first, as Senior Special Assistant on Intervention and Intergovernmental Affairs to the then Chairman, Ayodeji Joseph, and, later, as Supervisory Councillor for Health.

In 2014, she joined Worthline International Services Limited as head of operations, and in 2015, she returned to politics and was elected member of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The lawmaker is an advocate of gender equality and has called for women to be allowed fair and full representation, especially in political circles.

Meranda believes there was need for a massive reorientation to ensure that women were on “the same level” with men, especially in politics.

She holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ).