LSHA Crisis: Police Restore Meranda’s Security Details.
Police in Lagos have restored the security details of Mojisola Meranda, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Meranda’s security forces were withdrawn on Thursday morning, escalating tensions in the Lagos Assembly speakership race.
However, during a briefing hours later, Moshood Jimoh, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, cited personnel audit as the reason for the withdrawal.
“As I speak with you, the audit of the police personnel attached to Hon. Mojisola Meranda has been completed, and the police personnel attached to her from the Lagos State Police Command have been returned to her for her protection,” the commissioner stated on Thursday’s evening.
“It is important to note that the ongoing police personnel audit has been going on for several days, and key figures and persons have been cooperating with the process. “The exercise, once again, is not aimed or targeted at any individual,” the commissioner informed the audience.
The departure of Meranda’s security advisers introduced a new dimension to the Lagos State Assembly conflict. The Apapa legislator succeeded Mudashiru Obasa as speaker of the assembly after the latter was accused of wrongdoing.
However, on Thursday, Obasa entered the Lagos Assembly complex with several of his supporters and declared that he is still the Speaker of the House.
His supporters could be heard chanting sympathy songs for the Agege I Constituency lawmaker as they entered the Assembly.
“Obasa is the speaker,” he told reporters during one of his few public appearances since being dismissed.
“I have never been removed. Impeachment or removal is democratic and lawful, but it requires due process. I’m not against it. Obasa argued, “If I do that, I am not democratic.”
However, several Lagos members loyal to Meranda rejected Obasa’s insistence, claiming that Meranda is still the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The Lagos Assembly crisis escalated on February 17 when some security officers and legislative personnel clashed in the House. However, thirty-six lawmakers later voted to give Meranda their trust.