After weeks of political maneuvering and legal battles, a resolution has been reached regarding the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. President Bola Tinubu and top leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) intervened to bring stability to the Assembly.
The agreed solution may involve the resignation of the current Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, to restore regional balance in the state’s leadership structure. According to THISDAYLIVE, the power struggle within the Lagos Assembly has been a major concern, particularly regarding the distribution of leadership positions across the state’s three senatorial districts.
While President Tinubu supports greater female representation in Lagos politics, having both the Governor and Speaker from Lagos Central is seen as politically unbalanced. With the Deputy Governor already from Lagos East, the exclusion of Lagos West from key positions created tensions within the APC and among political stakeholders.
To address this imbalance, discussions were held on appointing a female legislator from Lagos West as Speaker. However, the only eligible female lawmaker from that district was elected under the Labour Party, making her selection impractical.
As a result, Meranda’s resignation is seen as necessary to achieve a more balanced representation. Sources revealed that President Tinubu maintained a neutral stance on Obasa’s removal, believing it was not his role to intervene and reinstate him.
Obasa had served as Speaker for over nine years, benefiting from the political structure Tinubu had built. His removal was viewed as the natural outcome of a shift in the Assembly’s internal dynamics.
Despite this, the manner of Obasa’s removal reportedly caught Tinubu off guard, causing dissatisfaction within his political camp. As the leader of the party in Lagos and the country, Tinubu saw the sudden ousting of Obasa as an act of political miscalculation.
The lack of prior consultation before such a significant move was perceived as a sign of internal discord within the Lagos APC, prompting efforts to resolve the matter swiftly.
In the end, the decision to restructure the Assembly’s leadership was driven by the need to maintain political harmony and ensure fair representation across the three senatorial districts. With Meranda expected to step down and a new Speaker from Lagos West likely to emerge, the APC hopes to stabilize its hold on Lagos politics and prevent further divisions within the party.
