Speaker Meranda Is Gone, She Resigned – Obasa

By Adesina Soyooye

While a number of Nigerians, including former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe, have expressed outrage at the brazen audacity displayed by the impeached Speaker,  Lagos House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Thursday when he stormed the Assembly complex and declared himself “still the Speaker”, Obasa has let it be known that Speaker Mojisola Meranda, willingly resigned last weekend.

Obasa spoke on Thursday in interview with Reporters while defending his action.

He was on January 16, 2025, impeached by his colleagues, overwhelmingly for high-handedness, arrogance and alleged corruption.

On return from his trip overseas, he rejected the impeachment and proceeded to Court. But while the Court case was still active and solutions being scrambled together by Party Leaders, Obasa, in an obvious connivance with Security Agencies, forced himself into the Assembly Chambers and held plenary with four Lawmakers, only. The other 36 members rejected him and stood by Meranda who they elected as his successor.

Explaining the situation, Obasa disclosed Meranda’s alleged voluntary resignation.

He said Speaker Meranda resigned during a peace meeting held at Lagos House Marina.

His words: “There was a meeting that took place in Marina where we had in attendance all the party leaders and all the members of Lagos Assembly and openly, Meranda herself made a statement that she has stepped down and she has resigned.

“So, when you resign from an office, you know, the paraphernalia of office will be taken away, now.

“I’ve never been removed. Impeachment or removal is democratic and constitutional but in doing that, you must follow the due process. I am not against that. If I do that, then I am not democratic.”

Meranda has not said a word since Obasa’s action.

Earlier on Thursday, while Obasa’s security details were restored, her’s were withdrawn. They were later restored later same Thursday after a lot of eyebrows were raised. Lagos State Commissioner of Police said they were withdrawn for an audit. There was no ulterior motive, CP Moshood Jimoh explained.