In what can only be described as an escalating political rift within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), members from Lagos West have voiced strong opposition to the election of Mojisola Meranda as the new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. The election, which took place on January 13, 2025, saw the ousting of Mudashiru Obasa, who had held the position for several years until he was removed due to allegations of misconduct and financial misappropriation.
While Obasa has denied the accusations leveled against him, his removal has not been the source of the controversy. Instead, it is the subsequent election of Meranda, previously the Deputy Speaker, that has drawn the ire of a significant faction within the APC, particularly those from Lagos West.
The decision to appoint Meranda has sparked outrage among members from Lagos West, with claims of an unfair shift of political power to Lagos Central, the home of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. These members argue that the decision not only undermines the region’s political strength but also contravenes the spirit of fairness and equity in political office distribution.
“We have no issue with Obasa’s removal,” stated Segun Banjo, the secretary of the Progressives Alliance, a faction within the APC representing Lagos West. “Our concern is that the election of Meranda was rushed and not well thought out. The leadership failed to take into account the contributions and political weight of Lagos West, which represents half of the Assembly’s 40 lawmakers.”
The discontent stems from the assertion that the political structure of the House was disregarded when Meranda, a representative of Lagos Central, was chosen to succeed Obasa. According to Banjo, the faction from Lagos West, which holds a substantial number of votes and APC membership, was unfairly sidelined despite having 20 qualified lawmakers who could have assumed the position.
“It is appalling and disturbing that they passed over all the eminently qualified 20 lawmakers from our zone, which has the largest electoral asset in terms of votes and membership of the APC, and handed it over to Lagos Central, where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also comes from,” Banjo said in a statement released to news outlets on Monday.
The Lagos West faction sees this decision as a blatant disregard for the power dynamics within the party. Their argument is further compounded by the absence of a rule within the House’s procedures that mandates the deputy speaker to automatically succeed the speaker in the event of a removal. Such a shift, they argue, violates principles of equity and fairness, which have historically guided political appointments in Nigeria.
“It’s nowhere in the House’s rulebook that if a Speaker is removed, his replacement must be his deputy,” Banjo continued. “In fact, examples of political correctness guided by fair distribution of political offices that address both religious and sectional interests abound in the political space in Nigeria.”
The controversy surrounding the election of Meranda is not just about the geography of the political shift but also about the perceived imbalance in addressing regional representation. Lagos West, which boasts a large constituency base, feels marginalized in the current political arrangement. Many are asking why, despite the numbers and political contributions of the zone, Meranda’s elevation was seen as the right choice, rather than selecting someone from Lagos West, which has long been an influential political stronghold.
Discontent Within APC’s Leadership Ranks
The clash has stirred unrest not only among members of the Lagos West faction but also within the ranks of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the influential body that oversees the party’s political strategies in the state. The members from Lagos West have pointed fingers at the GAC for failing to secure the Speakership for their region, accusing the group of abandoning their political duties and leaving the zone to suffer under the decisions of a select few.
The fallout within the APC highlights a broader issue within the party, where loyalty to individual leaders, such as Governor Sanwo-Olu, seems to outweigh the need for fair representation and political equity. Banjo’s statement even included a pointed criticism of the GAC, suggesting that their failure to act in the interest of Lagos West would be judged harshly by future generations.
“In any case, we leave them to posterity to judge them,” Banjo remarked, a statement that underscores the bitterness of the dispute.
Meranda’s First Sitting as Speaker
Despite the unrest within the APC, Meranda presided over her first sitting as Speaker, which saw the absence of Obasa, who was notably absent from the proceedings. The new Speaker, in her inaugural address, promised to bring “leadership, stability, and fairness” to the Assembly, although her words may ring hollow to those who feel their voices have been drowned out in the political shake-up.
As the dust settles, it remains unclear whether Meranda’s leadership will gain the support of the APC factions or if the resentment from Lagos West will fuel further divisions within the party. For now, it is clear that a significant segment of the APC in Lagos is dissatisfied with the Speakership decision and is demanding a reevaluation of how power is distributed within the state’s political structures.