|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: Facebook users shared a picture of a letter alleging that the current speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, has resigned.
Verdict: FALSE. No credible media organisation reported such an occurrence. Also, the assembly’s information officer, Bisola Branco-Adekoya, debunked the claim.
Full Text
The internal battle at the Lagos state legislative house reached a crescendo on Jan. 13, 2025, when members impeached the long-serving speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office. His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, was chosen by the assembly’s majority to succeed him while he was in the United States.
Since then, the hallowed chambers have experienced various turmoils. The latest controversy was the premises invasion by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police, who sealed the offices of the Speaker, her deputy, and the clerk.
On Feb. 17, 2025, Lagos State House of Assembly members responded by passing a vote of confidence in Meranda, affirming their trust in her leadership.
However, alleged news of her resignation suddenly surfaced online, as depicted in a letter attributed to the 44-year-old lawmaker representing Apapa Constituency 1.
A Facebook page, Nigeria News Now that shared the letter gained 11 reactions, 11 comments, and three reshares in seven hours. However, the claim gained more reactions here, here, and here.
The information’s implications for the newly elected speaker’s reputation and the stability of the Assembly prompted DUBAWA to fact-check the claim.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted an advanced keyword search and found no credible media report on the alleged incident. We also contacted Folashade Ogunrinde, a Premium Times reporter covering the South West. She contacted the assembly’s chief public affairs officer, Bisola Branco-Adekoya, who described the claim as false.
DUBAWA attempted to contact Ms Branco-Adekoya through WhatsApp messages and calls, but she did not respond when the report was filed. We identified several discrepancies when we manually analysed the document, casting doubt on its credibility. Publicly accessible documents from public officeholders like governors and speakers bear the writer’s appended signature. However, the viral letter has none, though the official’s initials and contact details were added.
The insignia on the document also had “Office of the Speaker” written around the state’s coat of arms. This differed from the insignia in the speaker’s office, which reads, “Office of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly.”
The words completely circled the legislative house’s emblem, a hand holding the mace with the state’s Coat of Arms at the head.
After carefully comparing the viral letter with logos associated with Lagos state government officials, DUBAWA discovered that the false document’s insignia was a manipulated form of the governor’s version.
Conclusion
Information from credible sources and manual analyses revealed that the viral letter was manipulated. It is a mischievous attempt to depict the speaker bowing to pressure falsely.
