President Bola Tinubu has supported the return of Mudashiru Obasa as the Speaker of the embattled Lagos State House of Assembly despite an earlier recommendation by closest associates for his resignation.
He took this decision as his way of resolving the leadership crisis that has for about two months been rocking the assembly of his political home base.
Tinubu, a one time Lagos State Governor, announced this decision at a meeting he held with all the assembly’s 40 lawmakers at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Wednesday.
However, his decision contradicts the recommendations of a panel he had set up to mediate the crisis.
The panel, led by former Osun State Governor, Chief Bisi Akande, and former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, along with the leadership of the Governance Advisory Council, had advised that Obasa should step down after being reinstated.
The panel initially recommended that Mojisola Meranda resign as Speaker to allow for Obasa’s return, with the understanding that he would also resign shortly after, making way for a new Speaker from Lagos West to balance the state’s political structure.
On March 3, 2025, 49 days after Obasa’s impeachment, Meranda resigned and was re-elected as Deputy Speaker.
Obasa was then reinstated as Speaker in line with the agreement.
However, contrary to the deal, Obasa adjourned the Assembly indefinitely and refused to resign as expected.
Obasa had been removed on January 13, 2025, by 35 lawmakers, who accused him of high-handedness, financial misappropriation, and authoritarian leadership.
Meranda replaced him but later resigned under pressure from party leaders.
On Wednesday, the lawmakers, including Meranda, arrived at the Presidential Villa in Abuja in a Coaster bus around 2 pm, after which security officials ushered them into the President’s office complex.
Obasa arrived separately at about 3 pm.
The meeting held behind closed doors. A Presidency official, who spoke anonymously for lack of authourisation, said Tinubu had brokered peace among the warring factions, asking members to work with Obasa to ensure stability in the Assembly and the state.
“Tinubu met the lawmakers behind closed-doors. They spoke on their grievances and the President has resolved the problems.
“With the development, Obasa will stay as Speaker. His position is no longer threatened. All the lawmakers have agreed to work with him.
“They all had a photo session with the President after the meeting. It went well,” the source said.
While some Lagos stakeholders are displeased that the original agreement was not upheld, the source assured that the President would engage all aggrieved parties to maintain unity.
“Some stakeholders are naturally displeased Obasa reneged on the agreement with the Akande panel. I’m sure the President would engage everyone to settle the matter,” the source added.
Another source close to Obasa revealed that Tinubu also directed the Speaker to withdraw his lawsuit challenging his impeachment at the Lagos State High Court.
“The President told the lawmakers to allow Obasa to work, and Obasa should also withdraw the case against Meranda and the lawmakers in court. The lawmakers have agreed to this,” the source said.
On Tuesday, Obasa’s lawyer, Chief Fashanu Afolabi (SAN), had said that the Speaker did not withdraw his suit despite his reinstatement as Speaker.
He said the allegations against Obasa by the lawmakers were heavy and needed to be trashed.
“Because there are some issues that are still pending within the context of notice of allegation. The case of allegation contains reasons for the impeachment which include highhandedness, fraudulent malpractices and the rest and we feel that those issues must be trashed out,” he told The Punch in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
Justice Yetunde Pinheiro of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja had on Monday adjourned the hearing of a suit filed by Obasa to March 17, 2025.
The Punch
