In a last-minute attempt to resolve the ongoing leadership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on prominent figures within the All Progressives Congress to mediate the situation.
According to The PUNCH, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, along with former governors Chief Bisi Akande (Osun), Chief Olusegun Osoba (Ogun), and Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), convened a high-level meeting at the Governor’s Lodge in Marina, Lagos, on Sunday. The meeting also included members of the Lagos Governance Advisory Council, APC Lagos Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, and former state chairman Tunde Balogun.
As of late Sunday night, the meeting was still ongoing, with party leaders expected to continue discussions with Lagos lawmakers.
A source close to the matter revealed that the main focus of the meeting was to address the dispute over the speakership between the ousted Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, and the current Speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
“The meeting is currently holding as we speak. The party chieftains will call the lawmakers for another round of discussions. It is all in a bid to resolve the crisis.
“Obasa wants to return as Speaker of the House to spend a little time before he finally resigns by himself. However, some lawmakers believe that once he returns to the seat, it will be hard to get him to leave the position.
“So President Tinubu, fed up with the prolonged crisis, drafted the party bigwigs to Lagos to find a way out,” the source said.
The crisis began on January 13, 2025, when 36 lawmakers voted to remove Obasa as Speaker and replaced him with Meranda, who was then the Deputy Speaker. Obasa has since challenged his removal in a Lagos State High Court, claiming he was ousted while the Assembly was in recess.
Reports suggest that as part of a potential resolution, Meranda may step down in favor of Setonji David, a lawmaker from Badagry, under a compromise brokered by the APC leadership.
A source within the Presidency confirmed ongoing consultations and indicated that Meranda is expected to step down.
“Well, it is true. There have been consultations, and it appears that she will step down,” the source confirmed.
Another source close to the matter revealed that President Tinubu has advised party leaders to find a balanced solution that ensures fair representation, particularly for Lagos West, which currently lacks a key position in the state’s leadership.
“The President believes Lagos West should not be sidelined, and he is in support of a solution that accommodates all interests,” the source added.
Pressure has been mounting on Meranda to resign, with multiple meetings held to address the issue.
“There has been pressure on Meranda to resign. She was meant to read out her resignation last week at the House, but the lawmakers did not agree with her. So there have been meetings over this,” a source in the Assembly said.
A letter suggesting Meranda’s resignation surfaced last week but was never officially read out in the Assembly. Sources suggest that she is facing pressure from Abuja to step down.
Her aide, Segun Ajiboye, has denied the reports of her resignation.
A Facebook user, Ayoade Adeniyi, also commented on the situation, stating that the final resolution had yet to be reached.
“Olori Oko has given a direct order that the lady should step down. All the Honourable members were in Lagos House, Marina, with the Governor on February 22, 2025.
“We don’t know yet who he has directed should be made the Speaker.”
Adeniyi warned that reinstating Obasa could lead to a serious backlash, though lawmakers were reportedly open to working with an alternative candidate.
