Lagos Assembly orders staff to work from home amid leadership cr!sis

In order to maintain peace and ensure the safety of its staff amid leadership crisis, the Lagos State House of Assembly has directed all staff and legislative aides to work remotely from home until further notice.

The directive, issued by Acting Clerk Mr. Babatunde Ottun Abubakar, aims to mitigate the risks of potential vi0lence  within the legislative body.

The memo, titled “Amendment to Remote Work Schedule Arrangement,” was addressed to all categories of staff at the Assembly, including LAHASCOM and legislative aides.

Abubakar revealed that the decision was necessary to protect the staff and avoid a breakdown of law and order. As the leadership dispute remains unresolved, this precautionary step is expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future.

The memo reassured staff of the commitment of the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Princess) Lasbat Mojisola Meranda, to their safety and to working towards a peaceful resolution of the ongoing crisis. 

Meranda, who replaced Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker, has vowed to restore order, but the Assembly continues to experience issues.

The crisis within the Lagos Assembly began on January 13, 2025, when 32 lawmakers voted to remove Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and Clerk Olalekan Onafeko from their positions. 

Obasa was latter replaced by his former deputy, Mojisola Meranda. However, the transition of power has been anything but smooth, with t£nsions rising rapidly.

A moment of c0nflict occurred when operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the Assembly complex, sealing offices and preventing lawmakers from holding plenary elections. 

Despite the DSS interference, the lawmakers managed to force their way into the chambers, proceeding with their session and ultimately declaring a vote of confidence in Meranda.