Lagos Speaker Meranda presides after lawmakers resist DSS takeover of Assembly

Lagos Speaker Meranda presides after lawmakers resist DSS takeover of Assembly 

Lagos State House of Assembly members on Monday moved against attempts by armed security personnel to take over the legislative complex amid leadership crisis.

Armed security personnel on Monday morning invaded the Lagos State House of Assembly, sealing off the offices of the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, her deputy and clerk of the house.
The security siege was laid early morning to the Assembly by officials of the Department of the State Security and the Nigeria Police to prevent the speaker from gaining access to her office.

Before Speaker Meranda came in, the security operatives were seen on the assembly complex frisking passersby as some paced up and down.

Meranda arrived on the assembly premises with her convoy around 11.15am, to the cheers of lawmakers and members of staff.

She acknowledged the cheers and bulldozed her way in with a retinue of her security details.

A reports by The Punch said DSS officials who were later sighted inside the chamber had a confrontation with some legislative workers at the exit door of the chamber.

The lawmakers had forced their way into the chamber around 12.30pm amid solidarity support from the assembly workers.

Meranda was said to have presided over a plenary at the chamber.

She became the first female speaker of the Lagos legislature on January 13, 2025, following the removal of Mudashiru Obasa.
Obasa was out of the country when he was replaced.
He has sued the state lawmakers challenging his removal as the speaker of the assembly.

Obasa said the house did not follow due process in removing him, saying he remained speaker of the assembly.