The turmoil engulfing the Lagos State House of Assembly shows no signs of abating as Speaker Mudashiru Obasa remains unyielding in his legal battle against former Speaker Mojisola Meranda and other lawmakers, despite President Bola Tinubu’s direct intervention.
SaharaReporters has learned that tension and uncertainty continue to grip the ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos as Obasa refuses to back down from his lawsuit. According to sources, party leaders are baffled by his defiance, particularly given Tinubu’s efforts to restore order.
A source close to the matter revealed that the Lagos APC leadership is struggling to understand why Obasa persists with the lawsuit despite the President’s involvement.
“The truth is that there is uncertainty among the party’s leadership regarding why the Speaker is still in court. Honestly, we don’t know why. After President Tinubu’s intervention and their meeting in Abuja, everything about the leadership crisis seemed to have been settled,” the source said.
The situation is particularly perplexing given that Meranda had already accepted the party’s directive and stepped aside.
“If you know Meranda well, you will see that she is an easygoing person, not someone who wants the speakership at all costs. Since the leaders told her to step down in the interest of the party, she relinquished her ambition and moved on. This is why we don’t understand what Obasa wants from the court again. But everyone is watching,” the source added.
Obasa’s counsel, Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), has dismissed speculation about a possible withdrawal of the case, insisting that the legal process is nearing its conclusion.
Speaking to The PUNCH on Sunday, Fashanu confirmed that his team is awaiting judgment from the Lagos State High Court.
“We are just waiting for the judgment. We don’t know when yet; the court said they will communicate it to us,” Fashanu stated.
When asked if Obasa was reconsidering his stance, he responded emphatically: “We have concluded. You’re twisting the hand of the clock back. We have concluded arguments; that one does not arise again. He’s not withdrawing, we have concluded.”
This unwavering position contradicts expectations that Tinubu’s intervention had put the crisis to rest and ensured Obasa’s smooth return as Speaker.
Despite Obasa’s legal team standing firm, Otunba Henry Ajomale, a former chairman of the Lagos APC and a key member of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), expressed confidence that the lawsuit would soon be dropped.
“Very soon, at the next sitting, you will see the difference,” Ajomale assured journalists at a recent event in Lagos.
He acknowledged Obasa’s right to seek legal redress but emphasized that Tinubu, as a key architect of Lagos’ political landscape, would not allow the dispute to escalate.
“Somebody is aggrieved, and he went to court. It is his right to go to court. And it is now our duty, since Mr. President intervened—and rightly so, because this is his own making,” Ajomale said.
“He will not allow it to create a bitter problem. That is why he had to intervene. Everything is back to normal now.”
Ajomale further reassured that, with Obasa reinstated as Speaker, the lawsuit would soon be withdrawn.
“Perhaps at the next sitting, you will see the difference,” he reiterated.
Obasa’s legal challenge stems from the leadership crisis that saw him ousted on January 13, 2025, paving the way for Meranda’s historic tenure as the first female Speaker of the House. His removal triggered intense political maneuvering, and after 49 days, he was reinstated following intervention from the APC’s national leadership and President Tinubu.
On March 12, Tinubu met with the 40 Lagos lawmakers in Abuja, reportedly brokering a truce between Obasa and Meranda. However, the Lagos State Assembly has remained in limbo, failing to reconvene since March 3. This legislative standstill has raised serious concerns about governance in the state, as critical bills and oversight duties remain unattended.
With the lawsuit still in play and party leaders scrambling to mend the rift, the question remains: Will Obasa heed Tinubu’s counsel and abandon the legal battle, or will his defiance push the crisis to an even deeper impasse?
PIONEER NEWS 