Lagos State House of Assembly have grown louder, with sources indicating that Speaker Mojisola Meranda may soon relinquish her gavel—but only during a plenary session. Vanguard reports that Meranda, the first female speaker in the state’s history, has agreed to step down following intense mediation by All Progressives Congress (APC) heavyweights, paving the way for Lagos West to claim the speakership. The catch? She’s insisting on due process, a formal exit on the Assembly floor, not a backroom bow-out.
The saga traces back to February 17, when 36 of 40 lawmakers passed a vote of confidence in Meranda, only to adjourn indefinitely amid a brewing crisis. APC brass—former National Chairman Bisi Akande, ex-Ogun Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, and NNPCL Board Chair Pius Akinyelure—swooped in, brokering a deal for Meranda to vacate the top seat. Sources say she’s eyeing a return to her old Deputy Speaker role, a soft landing after her 49-day reign. “It has to be during plenary,” one insider told Vanguard. “Until the House reconvenes, the status quo holds.”
X is abuzz. “Meranda’s out—Lagos West’s turn!” one user trumpeted. Another sniped, “Obasa’s shadow looms—democracy’s bruised,” echoing ex-Minister Olanrewaju’s jab at Mudashiru Obasa’s rumored return as “killing democracy.” The crisis, sparked by Obasa’s January 13 impeachment, has split the Assembly, with Abuja delegates now racing to stitch peace. “Things may normalize soon,” a source hinted, as weekend talks with key figures set the stage for a follow-up showdown.
Lagos West’s eight lawmakers are in the spotlight: Setonji David (Badagry 2), Temitope Adewale (Ifako-Ijaye 1), Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 1), Adedamola Kasunmu (Ikeja 2), Lukman Olumoh (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1), Wale Rauf Sulaimon (Mushin 2), Nureni Akinsanya (Mushin 1), and Surajudeen Tijani (Ojo 2). One will rise, but who? X speculates: “Setonji’s got the edge—Badagry’s due.” Another bets, “Kasunmu’s Ikeja pull might clinch it.” The jockeying’s fierce, with plenary as the battleground.
Nigeria’s unrest amplifies this drama. Edo razes kidnappers’ lairs, Rivers militants threaten oil, NAF storms Ikeja Electric—yet Lagos’ Assembly tussle is its own beast. Where Edo’s Okpebholo wields law decisively, Meranda’s exit hinges on procedure, a nod to order amid chaos. The DSS’ February visit hospitalized the acting clerk, a stark contrast to APC’s velvet-glove mediation here. “Peace is the goal,” a source stressed, with Abuja’s delegates—Akande, Osoba, Akinyelure—pulling strings.
At 10:40 AM GMT, March 07, the clock ticks toward plenary’s return. Meranda’s “due process” stand holds firm—no reconvening, no resignation. X splits: “She’s a queen for sticking to rules,” vs. “Step down already—Lagos West’s waiting.” Obasa’s ouster, Meranda’s rise, and now her fall mark a turbulent chapter. Will Lagos West’s speaker heal the rift, or just shift the fault lines? As Burna Boy dines with Dangote and Portable confesses Yahoo roots, Lagos’ political theater steals its own spotlight—plenary’s the stage, and Nigeria’s eyes are locked.
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