Behind Obasa, Meranda Tussle Over N5B Vehicle Purchase

The raging tussle within the Lagos State House of Assembly has taken another turn.

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa is opposing the purchase of official vehicles worth N5 billion during the period of his removal.

Obasa was removed as Speaker by 36 out of 40 House of Assembly members on January 13, 2025, while he was abroad. His deputy, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, was elected in his stead.

Backed by strong political forces, Obasa regained the position on March 3, 2025, with Meranda returning to her role as Deputy Speaker in what was described as a “reconciliation” after a tense face-off that drew national attention.

However, barely a week later, reports emerged that Obasa wants Meranda to refund the N5 billion used to acquire official vehicles for 39 lawmakers during his absence.

Meranda is accused of withdrawing funds from the Lagos State House of Assembly account, but those close to her insist that no such transaction took place. Instead, sources claim that the former Speaker had merely approved “a downward review of an existing procurement approval” made by Obasa himself on December 23, 2024—before his removal on January 13.

According to various reports, Obasa had initially approved the purchase of 35 units of Toyota Fortuner Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and 10 units of Toyota Prado SUVs for N7 billion. Meranda allegedly revised this to N5 billion for 32 units of the 2025 edition of the Toyota Prado SUV and 7 units of the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser.

Political players, however, believe that the accusations against Meranda are part of an ongoing power struggle aimed at keeping lawmakers in check.

“The consensus is that this is a strategic move by Obasa. He has targeted Meranda’s credibility on one hand while sending a clear message to other members about the consequences of continued dissent,” sources claim.

According to inside information, members who opposed Obasa’s return as Speaker are still pushing to enforce the supposed agreement that facilitated his reinstatement.

The understanding, sources say, was that Meranda would resign and return to her position as Deputy Speaker—which she did—while Obasa would step down shortly after (to protect his benefits and legacy as Speaker since 2015) for a more widely accepted lawmaker from his political district to take over. However, that did not happen.

“So, amid claims that Obasa is holding onto power, there was growing pressure to force his resignation—until this twist,” available information suggests.

This latest development, described as a masterful political maneuver by Obasa, has been tagged as “turning the hunter into the hunted.”

“The interpretation in political circles is that by demanding that Meranda refund N5 billion used for vehicle purchases, Obasa is implicating all lawmakers who benefited from the acquisitions—especially those opposed to him. Either they refund the money or acknowledge their role in the process, making them politically vulnerable. To make the trouble disappear, they have to show loyalty. That is the widely held belief,” sources say.

While Meranda has yet to respond to these emerging allegations, her sympathizers insist that she conducted herself “above board” during her six-week tenure as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.