President Bola Tinubu met with members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, including Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
The meeting, which took place behind closed doors, aimed to address the recent leadership crisis in the House.
The lawmakers arrived in two white buses, with Deputy Speaker Meranda, while Speaker Obasa arrived separately a few minutes later. After the meeting, the lawmakers were seen singing “On your mandate we shall stand” and hailing the president as he walked off to his office.
According to one of the attendees, “everything has been resolved”. Although an official statement has not been released yet, the meeting marks a significant step towards resolving the leadership crisis that has plagued the House.
The crisis began on January 13, 2025, when Obasa was removed as Speaker by more than two-thirds of the 40-member House, citing alleged misconduct and sundry offenses. Meranda, Obasa’s then-deputy, was elected the new Speaker, becoming the first female to hold the position in the South-West state.
However, Obasa rejected his removal, claiming it occurred while he was out of Nigeria. Despite this, 36 lawmakers loyal to Meranda insisted that Obasa’s removal was final. The situation took a new turn on March 3, when Obasa was re-elected as Speaker after Meranda’s resignation.
Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency I, stepped down as Speaker and was immediately re-elected as Deputy Speaker. Lawmakers praised her leadership style, strength, and humility, particularly for obeying the All Progressives Congress (APC) rules and regulations.
