Embattled former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa presided over a Lagos State House of Assembly plenary on Thursday with only four lawmakers in attendance, as over 26 others staged a boycott in protest. The crisis deepened following reports that security operatives forcibly opened the chamber doors, allowing Obasa and his loyalists entry.
As of 3 p.m., the plenary was still in session, but most lawmakers refused to participate, instead gathering at the Assembly’s garden to reaffirm their February 17 vote of confidence in Speaker Mojisola Meranda.
“He was not elected as Speaker by his constituency. For nearly a decade, we endured his authoritarian leadership. Enough is enough, and we are not backing down,” said a lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Obasa was accompanied into the Assembly by Ayinde Akinsanya (Mushin Constituency I) and Noheem Adams (Mushin Constituency II). Meanwhile, his supporters allegedly forced their way into the Speaker’s office, while suspected thugs took control of key areas within the complex, blocking access roads with unmarked buses and issuing threats to perceived opponents.
The standoff has heightened tensions within the Assembly, with both factions standing firm in their positions, leaving the leadership dispute unresolved.
