By: Manoah kikekon
Lagos Assembly Crisis Deepens as Obasa Ignores Tinubu’s Peace Deal, Keeps Lawsuit Alive
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| Bola Tinubu, Mudashiru Obasa, and Mojisola Meranda |
The turmoil in the Lagos State House of Assembly shows no signs of resolution as Speaker Mudashiru Obasa persists with his lawsuit against former Speaker Mojisola Meranda and other lawmakers—despite President Bola Tinubu’s mediation, SaharaReporters has learned.
A source close to the unfolding drama revealed that Lagos APC leaders are baffled by Obasa’s refusal to drop the case after Tinubu’s intervention.
“After President Tinubu stepped in and brokered a meeting in Abuja, we thought the leadership crisis was settled. Meranda accepted the party’s decision and stepped down gracefully. So why is Obasa still pursuing this in court?” the source questioned.
The insider described Meranda as a peacemaker who willingly relinquished her speakership ambition for party unity, raising further questions about Obasa’s motives.
Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), Obasa’s lead counsel, dismissed rumors of a possible withdrawal, stating that the legal team is only waiting for the court’s verdict.
“We have concluded arguments; the case is not being withdrawn. The court will communicate the judgment date to us,” Fashanu told The PUNCH.
This stance has sparked concerns, especially since Tinubu’s intervention was believed to have resolved the crisis and secured Obasa’s return as Speaker.
Despite the hardline position of Obasa’s legal team, Otunba Henry Ajomale, former Lagos APC chairman and a key member of the party’s Governance Advisory Council (GAC), assured that the case would soon be withdrawn.
“Very soon, at the next court sitting, you’ll see the difference,” Ajomale said. “President Tinubu intervened to prevent further division, and now that Obasa is back as Speaker, the lawsuit should end.”
Obasa was controversially removed on January 13, 2025, leading to Meranda’s historic rise as Lagos’ first female Speaker. However, after 49 days of political maneuvering, Tinubu and the APC’s national leadership facilitated Obasa’s return.
Despite a March 12 peace meeting with Tinubu in Abuja, the Assembly has remained dysfunctional, failing to reconvene since March 3, fueling fears of a legislative paralysis in Nigeria’s economic hub.
With Obasa’s legal team standing firm and party leaders expecting a withdrawal, the political stalemate continues. Will Tinubu’s influence prevail, or will the courts decide Lagos Assembly’s fate?