OPERATIVES of the Department of State Services (DSS), accompanied by Nigeria Police, on Monday morning, raided the Lagos State House of Assembly, sealing off the offices of the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, her Deputy, and the Clerk of the House.
The raid, which took place at dawn, has sent shockwaves across political circles in the state.
By 10 AM, armed security personnel had taken control of the Assembly premises at Alausa, Ikeja, and were thoroughly frisking passersby. Meranda, however, arrived at the premises at approximately 11:15 AM with her convoy.
Security vans and personnel were also spotted in and outside the premises of the Lagos Assembly complex in the Alausa Area of the commercial city.
An official of the Lagos Assembly told News Point Nigeria that the speaker Meranda Mojisola and 32 members of the lawmaking body are present for Monday’s plenary.
While issues to be discussed at the plenary are unclear as of the time of this report, some members of the Lagos Assembly were spotted discussing in clusters inside the premises.
Although a source told News Point Nigeria that the leadership of the House is intact, reports claim that there might be a change in the speakership of the Lagos Assembly.
Last month, members of the Assembly removed the House’s long-term speaker Mudashiru Obasa over allegations of fraud and other sundry charges.
They thereafter elected Meranda Mojisola as Obasa’s replacement in a historic move that saw the member representing Apapa Constituency I become the first speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“The Constitution makes it clear that the House has the powers to regulate its proceedings. So, the members of the House felt that they’ve had enough of the Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa and today, we have unanimously agreed that Rt Hon Mojisola Meranda Lasbat becomes the new Speaker of the House,” a member of the Assembly representing Epe Constituency 1 Abiodun Tobun said in defence of Obasa’s impeachment.
Tobun argued that the lawmakers “owe Lagos State a duty of ensuring that the sanctity of the House and the integrity of this House are restored”.
Obasa who was away during his removal, however, insisted he was still the Lagos Assembly speaker.
The former speaker who represents the Agege constituency dismissed fraud allegations against him which he labelled as “fictitious and unsubstantiated”.
“My status in the house? I believe strongly I am still the speaker until the right thing has been done,” the lawmaker said in a press conference organised at his Ikeja home in Lagos.
“If you want to remove me, remove me the proper way and I will not contest it. “I’m a Muslim and I believe in fate. But let’s do it the way it should be done.”
Many claimed his governorship ambition fuelled his removal, Obasa said there was nothing wrong with nursing that goal.
Weeks after his removal, Obasa dragged the Assembly and Meranda before the Lagos State High Court challenging his sack as the speaker of the House.
He asked the court to declare that his removal by his colleagues was unlawful owing since the Assembly was on break.