Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa is currently in a bitter fight with Mojisola Meranda over her decision to authorise the withdrawal of N5 billion from the assembly’s account to purchase vehicles for lawmakers just days after replacing him as speaker following a short-lived impeachment in January, Peoples Gazette has learnt.

Sources familiar with the brewing situation told The Gazette that the crisis between Mr Obasa and his deputy, Ms Meranda, stemmed from her decision to approve the disbursement of N5 billion to purchase 40 units of 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs, one for each of the lawmakers few days after she was sworn in as Lagos State’s first female speaker on January 13.

“Another serious crisis is brewing in the Lagos Assembly,” the sources said. “This is because Mr Obasa is angry that Mojisola Meranda didn’t even wait for weeks to pass before she withdrew N5 billion from the assembly’s account to buy 40 2025 Toyota Land Cruisers for lawmakers after she replaced him as speaker.”

“Mr Obasa is not taking the decision lightly and he is asking her to return the money now.”

Mr Obasa, who already had a plan on purchasing the vehicles before his removal, was re-elected as speaker on March 3 on Mr Tinubu’s order and immediately began to pressurise Ms Meranda to return the N5 billion she disbursed to purchase the 40 Land Cruisers saying she has no right to withdraw money from the assembly’s account, sources told The Gazette.

Ms Meranda’s tenure lasted just 49 days before she was forced to resign after President Bola Tinubu mounted pressure on lawmakers and All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in Lagos to ensure Mr Obasa’s reinstatement as speaker.

The Gazette learnt that just before his removal, Mr Obasa had already finalised plans to disburse N7 billion to dealers to supply 45 units of Toyota Fortuner SUVs, with his initial plan being to give one each to the 40 Lagos House of Assembly members, one for house clerk, one each for his two wives and rest for himself.
However, his predecessor’s action has now disrupted his plans in its entirety.

“Immediately Mr Obasa was re-elected as speaker after President Bola Tinubu ordered it, he started to put pressure on Ms Meranda to return the N5 billion she approved to buy the latest Land Cruisers because the speaker had his own plan on the cars to buy for the assembly members before he was sacked.

The sources added, “He (Obasa) was about to disburse N7 billion to buy 45 units of Toyota Fortuner SUVs so that he will be able to give 40 to the lawmakers, one for the house clerk and the remaining four for himself and his two wives but he is unable to carry out the plan following his returned as speaker because of Ms Meranda’s approval of the N5 billion.

The sources noted Mr Obasa has refused to budge and he is mandating Ms Meranda to immediately return the 40 vehicles she purchased, causing lawmakers, most of who opposed his return as speaker, to revolt. The lawmakers are insisting that they cannot possibly return the latest model of Land Cruisers already in their possession just to settle for lesser vehicles.

“Mr speaker is not letting the matter go anytime soon and he has asked Ms Meranda and the other lawmakers to immediately return the Land Cruisers in their possession but they have all refused because they don’t want to release the latest cars for lesser 2020 Fortuner vehicles so this is causing another growing problem in the house,” the sources added.

Mr Obasa didn’t respond to The Gazette’s request for comment.