On Monday, March 3, 2025, Mojisola Meranda, the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, explained why she chose to resign from her position. In a heartfelt speech, she shared her reasons for stepping down and the sacrifices she made to protect the integrity of the Assembly.
Meranda, who had become Speaker just a few months earlier on January 13, 2025, said that the challenges and disputes within the leadership of the House were threatening its unity and the values it stood for.
Despite resigning from her position, Meranda made it clear that she would continue to serve the people of Apapa Constituency 1 and Lagos State with dedication and commitment.
Full speech:
“Hello everyone, I want to share with you today that I have made a personal decision to step down as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. This decision is part of my effort to help solve the leadership problems within the House.
I also want to acknowledge the support of my family. They have always helped me in supporting democracy and making Lagos a better place for everyone. I will continue to follow the example of my late father, who showed us the importance of honor, dignity, integrity, and service.
Please allow me to remind you of a statement I made earlier in the newspaper. I said: ‘It is with a heavy heart and great responsibility that I announce my resignation as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, effective today, March 3, 2025.’
This decision was not made lightly. When I accepted the position of Speaker on January 13, 2025, I believed I could lead and make a difference. However, I have realized that my continued leadership was causing division and unrest within the House, and this is a threat to our democracy.
As people who care about Lagos, our job is to protect the people and ensure that our government works well for them. I believe that by stepping down, I am showing leadership and making a selfless sacrifice to protect what we have worked so hard to build. With your continued support, I take this important step to resign as Speaker.
I want to thank my fellow members for their support. I also appreciate the management and staff of the Lagos State House of Assembly for their hard work and collaboration. Though my time as Speaker was short, I will always remember this experience.
I am not giving up on Lagos; I will continue to serve the wonderful people of Apapa Constituency 1 and all of Lagos State. Thank you for trusting me to lead this important Assembly. I did not quit, but I chose to make a difficult decision to avoid further conflict.
Sometimes, leaders face challenges that seem too great to handle, but we must not let that break the House we have worked hard to build. For those who have been unfairly criticized for standing up for fairness, I want you to know that there will always be a chance to correct things.
I also want to thank everyone who sent messages, made phone calls, or visited me during my time as Speaker. Your support has meant a lot to me.
At this moment, I will step down as your Speaker, but I will continue to serve you all.
Thank you, and may God bless you all.”
