In A dramatic turn of events, the Lagos State House of Assembly impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa on Monday, citing allegations of financial misappropriation and lack of transparency. The move marked the end of Obasa’s 10-year reign as speaker and paved the way for Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, the erstwhile deputy speaker, to become the first substantive female speaker in the assembly’s history. How the mighty have fallen!

The impeachment was sparked by accusations of financial misconduct, including the alleged mismanagement of ₦44 billion allocated for vehicles and capital projects over two years. Critics pointed to questionable expenditures, such as ₦1.1 billion for properties in 2023 and ₦126 million for properties in Abuja in 2024.

Lawmakers also cited Obasa’s authoritarian leadership style and lack of accountability as reasons for his removal. The assembly’s decision was unanimous, with 32 honorable members voting in favor of the impeachment.

In a related development, the Clerk of the Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, was suspended and replaced with Mr. Abubakar Taiwo Ottun as the Acting Clerk of the House.

The impeachment has been hailed as a victory for transparency and accountability in governance. As one lawmaker noted, “Change is inevitable, and we felt it was time for a new direction.” With Meranda at the helm, the assembly is poised to embark on a new era of leadership and accountability.

Obasa’s sins

The impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has been accused of several “sins” that led to his removal from office.

Financial Misconduct: Obasa was accused of mismanaging ₦44 billion allocated for vehicles and capital projects over two years. Specifically, he was alleged to have spent ₦30.19 billion on vehicles in 2023 without purchasing any, and ₦13.33 billion on vehicles in 2024 with only a small fraction accounted for ¹.

Lack of Transparency and Accountability: Obasa was criticized for his lack of transparency in the assembly’s financial operations. He was accused of not providing a detailed breakdown of the assembly’s expenditures, sparking concerns about corruption and mismanagement.

Authoritarian Leadership Style: Obasa’s leadership style was described as authoritarian, with some lawmakers accusing him of being high-handed and disregarding their opinions.

Questionable Expenditures: Obasa was accused of approving questionable expenditures, including ₦1.1 billion for properties in 2023 and ₦126 million for properties in Abuja in 2024.

Disregard for Legislative Rules: Obasa was accused of disregarding legislative rules and procedures, including the arbitrary approval of expenditures and the appointment of members to move or second motions without allowing interested members to raise their hands.

About new Speaker

The former Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda emerged the new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, making history as the first female speaker in the assembly’s history. She represents Apapa Constituency I and has been a member of the Assembly for three consecutive legislatures (8th, 9th, and 10th).

Meranda’s background is quite impressive. She served as the Chief Whip of the 9th House and held various positions in the Apapa Local Government. She also has experience working in the private sector.

As one of only four women in the 40-member 10th Assembly, Meranda’s leadership is a significant milestone for women in politics in Lagos State. Her election as Speaker follows the impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa, who had been Speaker since 2015.

Born into a noble family, she’s a sibling to the Oniru of Irulaland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal.

Meranda’s educational background is impressive, with a primary education at St. Charles Nursery and Primary school, and secondary education at Anglican Girls Grammar school and Ansar-Ud-Deen secondary school. She also holds several degrees, including a BSc in Public Administration from Lagos State University, Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos, and a Master in Business Administration from the University of York, UK.

Before venturing into politics, Meranda worked in various roles, including as Personal Assistant to the SSA on Information Technology in the Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, and as office manager of Cirrus Nigeria Limited. She’s also the founder of Worthline International Services Limited.

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Meranda’s political career began as a member of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD), which later transformed into the All Progressives Congress (APC). She served as Senior Special Assistant on intervention and Inter-Governmental Relations in Apapa Local Government and later as Supervisor for Health. She was elected into the Lagos State House of Assembly and held various positions, including Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Chairman of the House Committee on Establishment, and Chief Whip.

She’s happily married to Engineer Johnpaul Meranda and has children.