Lagos Assembly: Obasa Clarifies Firearms Allegations as Meranda Addresses Resignation Rumour
- Former Lagos Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, denies allegations of firearms found in his office, calling the reports baseless and fabricated
- Speaker Mojisola Meranda dismisses resignation rumors, and the assembly refutes claims that 27 lawmakers defected to the Labour Party
- IPAC urges Obasa to accept his removal peacefully, as tensions persist following DSS operatives sealing key offices within the assembly complex
Former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, has refuted claims alleging that firearms were discovered in his office following a visit by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Reports surfaced on Tuesday suggesting that DSS officials uncovered 47 pump-action rifles within the premises of the assembly.
Source: Facebook
While some accounts claimed the weapons were linked to Obasa’s office, others suggested they were found in the office of a former Chief Security Officer.
Obasa denies firearms allegations
In a statement released on Wednesday, Obasa dismissed the allegations as entirely fabricated, describing them as an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
“The story is a complete falsehood, concocted by those determined to malign my name and diminish my contributions to the legislative process,” he stated.
“The notion of a sudden discovery of firearms in my office is not only ridiculous but also a calculated effort to discredit me.”
A DSS source also confirmed on Tuesday that the reports about the agency uncovering weapons in the assembly were untrue.
Speaker Meranda refutes resignation rumors as crisis deepens
Meanwhile, the current Speaker of the House, Mojisola Meranda, has denied rumors suggesting she resigned from her position.
Source: Twitter
A letter purportedly bearing her resignation had circulated on social media, but upon closer inspection, no valid signature was found on the document dated February 17, 2025.
The Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ajiboye, dismissed the report, emphasizing that Meranda remains in office.
“The Speaker is at her desk, and there has been no resignation. The rumors are completely baseless,” he said.
Lagos Assembly rejects claims of mass defection
In a separate development, the Lagos Assembly has denied claims that 27 lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) defected to the Labour Party.
Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Ogundipe Olukayode, described the reports as “deliberately misleading.”
“There is no truth to the speculation that lawmakers are defecting. The assembly remains united and focused on its legislative duties,” Olukayode stated.
“The removal of the former Speaker and the subsequent election of Mojisola Meranda were conducted in line with constitutional provisions. These are internal matters, and no member is contemplating defection.”
IPAC urges Obasa to accept removal
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos has also weighed in on the ongoing leadership crisis, urging Obasa to accept the transition peacefully.
IPAC Chairperson, Temilola Akinade, called for an end to the political turmoil that has disrupted legislative activities.
“The former Speaker has contributed his quota to governance; it is now time to move forward,” Akinade said.
“Lawmakers have chosen their new leader, and the focus should be on governance rather than political distractions.”
The crisis at the Lagos Assembly began on January 13, 2025, when 32 out of the 40 members voted to remove Obasa, electing Meranda in his place.
Tensions escalated further on Monday when DSS operatives sealed key offices within the assembly complex, temporarily halting legislative activities.
Analyst speaks on Obasa's fate
Legit.ng earlier reported that what is next for Mudashiru Obasa, the impeached speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has been predicted by Rotimi Sulyman, a public analyst.
Rotimi, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, also shared the view that Obasa could be returned as the speaker and if not, that would not be the end of his political career.
Additionally, the analyst predicted a new dawn for the embattled lawmaker, who was impeached while he was out of the country.
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Source: Legit.ng
