Lagos Speaker Obasa Clashes with Meranda Over N5 Billion Vehicle Purchase, Furious Over Budget Cut and Exclusion of Wives
The leadership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly has deepened as Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and his former replacement, Mojisola Meranda, engage in a heated dispute over the procurement of official vehicles for lawmakers.
Sources within the Assembly revealed that Obasa is enraged over Meranda’s decision to source the vehicles from a local dealer instead of following his initial plan to import them from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
According to insiders, the controversy revolves around the purchase of 40 SUVs for lawmakers, a project originally approved by Obasa before his removal as Speaker in January.
“This issue started with the procurement of 40 SUVs for all members. Obasa had initially approved the purchase before his suspension, while Meranda only executed it when she took over as Speaker,” a source told journalists.
“The real problem is that Meranda deviated from Obasa’s plan. He wanted the vehicles imported from Dubai, but Meranda opted for a Nigerian-based dealer instead. This decision has made Obasa furious.”
Further details indicate that Obasa initially approved the purchase of 35 Toyota Fortuner SUVs and 10 Toyota Prado SUVs from Dubai at a cost of N7 billion on December 23, 2024. However, after his removal, Meranda reviewed the approval and opted for a local procurement process, awarding a contract for 32 units of the 2025 Toyota Prado SUVs and 7 Toyota Land Cruiser 2025 models at a reduced cost of N5 billion—saving the Assembly N2 billion.
Following his controversial reinstatement as Speaker—reportedly influenced by President Bola Tinubu and top APC leaders—Obasa has now demanded that all 40 SUVs acquired by Meranda be returned.
The Lagos Assembly has been embroiled in a power tussle since January, when Obasa was impeached over allegations of fraud and gross misconduct. His removal was short-lived, as Meranda’s tenure as Speaker lasted just 49 days before she was forced to resign under pressure from the presidency and APC leadership.
Reports suggest that Obasa had originally planned for 45 SUVs—40 for lawmakers, one for the Clerk, and four for himself and his two wives. However, Meranda’s intervention altered these plans, excluding the additional vehicles meant for Obasa’s personal use.
With tensions escalating within the Assembly, the fallout from this vehicle procurement battle underscores the deep-seated rivalry and internal conflicts among Lagos lawmakers.