Obasa vs Meranda: Videos, Photos Emerge as Lagos Assembly Speaker Resumes Office

• The Lagos State House of Assembly speakership tussle has finally been cleared as the new speaker Mojisola Meranda resumed office on Monday, January 27
• Photos and videos on social media showed the moment the lawmakers welcomed the new speaker on Monday
• The development followed the claim by the impeached speaker Mudashiru Obasa that he remained the speaker of the House

Mojisola Meranda, the new speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has officially moved to her office at the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex on Monday, January 27.

Videos and photos on social media showed supporters praising God and praying for Meranda as she took over the office on Monday.

There was tension at the assembly complex earlier on Monday, ahead of its plenary, following the speculation of a possible showdown. This is because the impeached speaker Mudashiru Obasa claimed he was still the speaker of the assembly.

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Obasa was impeached by a majority of the House on Monday, January 13, and Meranda was immediately elected as his replacement. He was accused of financial misconduct and misappropriation.

Below is a video of lawmakers taking pictures with the new speaker:

Obasa speaks on his impeachment

However, the embattled lawmaker on Saturday, January 25, broke his silence and denied the allegations. He challenged the lawmakers to provide evidence against him.

Monday's sitting was the third plenary session Meranda presided over since Obasa's removal. The former speaker has been absent in all the sittings.

Addressing journalists on his return to Lagos on Saturday, the former speaker said, “I am not disturbed, I am not afraid.”

See photos of Meranda resuming office below:

Obasa claims he remains the speaker

Obasa was given a heroic welcome by his supporters at the Speaker’s Lodge, 47, GRA Ikeja Lagos.

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He said:

“My status in the house? I believe strongly I am still the speaker until the right thing has been done. If you want to remove me, remove me the proper way, and I will not contest it."

The embattled lawmaker said he was a Muslim who "believes in fate" and insisted that his impeachment would be accepted if it was done with due process.

When he was asked if he would be taking legal action against his removal, the impeached speaker said, “You will know. It’s a matter of time", and left the people to his residence.

See the video of Obasa claiming to remain the speaker below:

Supreme Court document questions Obasa's legal credentials

Legit.ng earlier reported that a Supreme Court document raised some questions about the legal credentials of Obasa, the impeached speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

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Obasa's name was reportedly missing from the Roll of Legal Practitioners in Nigeria, despite his claim to have a law degree from LASU.

The document was dated July 24, 2020, and was signed by Gertrude Karenton-Mordi on behalf of the Supreme Court's chief registrar.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng