BREAKING: Lagos Assembly Ousts Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker Following Governorship Pursuit

Big news rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, January 13, when Speaker Mudashiru Obasa was impeached for a series of financial and statutory infractions. The decision came down hard, and now, in a surprising twist, Obasa has been replaced by his deputy, Lasbat Meranda. And guess what? Meranda has made history as the very first female Speaker in the Assembly’s long history.

Meranda, who reps Apapa Constituency 1, isn’t just a newcomer. She’s held strong as the House’s chief whip and takes over at a time when the Assembly is facing growing calls for better transparency and accountability. Her new leadership comes in the wake of explosive revelations that Obasa was behind the withdrawal of a massive ₦43.5 billion for backup vehicles for lawmakers, sparking outrage over questionable spending.

This wasn’t just a political shakeup for the Assembly. Obasa had previously been quite vocal about his ambition to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, but his plans now seem to be up in the air as his credibility takes a huge hit. In 2024, Obasa shared his intentions to boost the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that becoming governor was a distant thought, though not entirely off the table.

He also pushed for party members to focus on mobilizing ahead of the 2027 elections, yet it’s unclear if his vision still resonates with APC members after the fallout from his impeachment. His departure comes at a time when political discussions in Lagos are heating up, with even more buzz around the possibility of President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, throwing his hat into the 2027 governorship race.