President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s purported directive to reinstate Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker has been described as âfake newsâ targeted at distracting the newly elected Speaker, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda.
The denial followed a report by an online platform claiming that President Tinubu had pressured members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to allow the return of Obasa as Speaker three weeks after removal, went viral on Sunday, February 2, and stirred a fresh debate in the polity.
The medium claimed the lawmakers should be prepared to return Obasa because the political price for his removal could potentially outweigh the benefits of punishing his excesses.
However, a lawmaker, who pleaded anonymity, described the report as fake news.
He explained how Lagos Assembly led by Speaker Honourable Mojisola Meranda had met with President Tinubu, governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the members of the Governorâs Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos state.
As reported by Vanguard, the lawmaker concluded that Meranda has the overall support of Lagos Assembly lawmakers but queried the motive by some elements behind Obasa’s alleged return to the House.
He stated:
Meanwhile, an aide to Meranda, who pleaded anonymity, said the new Speaker was focused on the task ahead and would not be distracted by âcheap talks and mere speculations to cause confusion over leadership change of the assembly.â
TimesNow.com.ng reported that the speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Obasa was impeached on Monday, January 13, over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office, ending his tenure as speaker since 2015.
No fewer than 32 members of the assembly removed Obasa from his position and accused him of spending N17 billion on a gate to the assembly complex, which critics argued was excessive and fraudulent.
The house also dissolved all principal positions and standing committees in the assembly.
Subsequently, the lawmakers elected and swore in Honourable Mojisola Meranda as speaker of the state assembly. She became the first female speaker the Lagos Assembly has ever had.
Read more about Obasa here:
TimesNow.com.ng earlier reported that a Supreme Court document raised some questions about the legal credentials of Obasa, the impeached speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Obasa’s name was reportedly missing from the Roll of Legal Practitioners in Nigeria, despite his claim to have a law degree from LASU.
The document was dated July 24, 2020, and was signed by Gertrude Karenton-Mordi on behalf of the Supreme Court’s chief registrar.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
