Lagos Assembly Crisis: My security detail as Speaker has yet to be reinstated; I have God by my side – Meranda

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, has refuted claims that her security detail was reinstated following their withdrawal by the police on Thursday.

Mrs. Meranda made this statement on Friday, subsequent to the Lagos High Court’s hearing of the lawsuit filed by the deposed speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, who is contesting his impeachment on January 13, 2025, by 36 legislators.

The speaker’s special adviser on information, Victor Ganzallo, had sounded the alarm on Thursday regarding the removal of police officers and State Security Services operatives assigned to Mrs. Meranda, thereby endangering her safety amid the assembly turmoil.

Nevertheless, Commissioner of Police Moshood Jimoh, during a press conference at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Thursday, asserted that the security personnel had been withdrawn for auditing purposes and subsequently reinstated.

Countering the police commissioner’s assertion, Mrs. Meranda declared, “As you can see, I have my people here with me, and God is here with me.

“I have three or four policemen, whereas my usual convoy comprises 12 policemen, four DSS, and two anti-bomb units, but as of this morning, I do not have that.”

Mrs. Meranda denounced Mr. Obasa’s incursion into the assembly and the breach of her office, characterizing his plenary session with merely four lawmakers as theatrical and “a display of disgrace.”

“I believe he remains a member of the House of Assembly, so he has every right to be present, but invasion and breaking into my office, that is truly significant. To me, it was merely a display of disgrace because, in our profession, we have numbers that constitute a quorum. So, if you’re convening with three or four members, you’re merely performing theatrics.”

She, however, refrained from specifying whether disciplinary measures would be taken against Mr. Obasa, remarking, “When we reach that juncture, we shall address it.”