The purchase of vehicles worth N5 billion for lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly has deepened the conflict between Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and his deputy, Mojisola Meranda. The controversy, which began after Obasa’s temporary removal as Speaker, has now extended into a legal battle.
Reports indicate that while Obasa was out of office, Meranda oversaw the procurement of 39 vehicles for the Assembly members. However, before his removal on January 13, 2025, Obasa had already approved N7 billion for the same purpose. He was removed by 35 out of the 40 lawmakers over allegations of financial mismanagement and authoritarian leadership.
Following his removal, Meranda was appointed Speaker and led the Assembly for 49 days until March 3, when she resigned after party leaders intervened. With Obasa reinstated, tensions between him and Meranda have persisted, especially regarding the vehicle purchase.
Obasa has challenged the legality of his removal in court, despite the political resolution brokered by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders. At the heart of the dispute is the procurement process for the vehicles, which was executed under Meranda’s leadership using funds previously approved by Obasa.
Sources say that Obasa originally intended to purchase the vehicles from Dubai through a selected bidder. However, Meranda allegedly opened the procurement process to local bidders, securing the vehicles at a lower cost.
“He had approved the money before his removal. But Meranda proceeded with buying them, a move that infuriated Obasa,” an aide to Obasa, who asked to remain anonymous, stated.
Another source within the Assembly noted, “In December, Obasa approved the purchase of those vehicles. But for him, the vehicles were to be bought from Dubai. When Meranda took over, she made it an open bidding. They weren’t bought in Dubai anymore. That is just the difference. So it’s not as if they stole money as it’s been propagated.”
Supporters of Meranda argue that she saved the House of Assembly N2 billion by purchasing 32 units of the 2025 Toyota Prado SUV and seven units of the Toyota Land Cruiser 2025 for N5 billion instead of the N7 billion budgeted by Obasa.
“Let it be known that Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda never made any withdrawal from the account of LAHA; rather, she only made a downward review of an existing procurement approval by Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa. In doing that, she saved the Assembly the sum of N2 billion,” a source close to Meranda stated.
The source further noted that Obasa had initially planned to buy 35 units of Toyota Fortuner SUVs and 10 Toyota Prado SUVs from Dubai at a cost of N7 billion. Instead, Meranda opted for locally sourced vehicles, ensuring that the Assembly spent less money while acquiring better-quality cars.
Meanwhile, Obasa’s lawyer, Chief Fashanu Afolabi (SAN), has explained why his client is continuing the legal battle despite being reinstated as Speaker.
“There are some issues that are still pending within the context of notice of allegation. The case of allegation contains reasons for the impeachment, which include highhandedness, fraudulent malpractices, and the rest. We feel that those issues must be trashed out,” he told The PUNCH in a phone interview.
Justice Yetunde Pinheiro of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has adjourned the hearing of Obasa’s suit to March 17, 2025. Initially set for March 10, the hearing was postponed after the legal team representing the Assembly, led by Femi Falana (SAN), received additional affidavits from Obasa’s lawyers on the same day.
