Naijanewsngr– The Lagos State House of Assembly has officially removed Mudashiru Obasa from his role as Speaker.

Following his impeachment, Mojisola Meranda, representing Apapa I, was elected as the new Speaker. This move made Meranda the first female Speaker in the history of the Lagos legislature.

Obasa, 52, has been serving as the Speaker since 2015. His removal was driven by allegations of multiple statutory and financial infractions, a recurring theme throughout his tenure. Members of the Assembly cited these issues as the primary reasons for his impeachment.

The controversy surrounding Obasa intensified in recent weeks, following reports from The Gazette, which highlighted the withdrawal of N43.5 billion for backup vehicles for lawmakers and other questionable financial activities. His tenure has included repeated accusations of fraud and political misconduct.

In 2020, investigative reports by Peoples Gazette revealed how Obasa allegedly diverted Lagos State funds into personal firms and accounts. Further investigations by Sahara Reporters uncovered extensive assets linked to him across Lagos. These allegations led to him being invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning. Despite the intense scrutiny, no formal charges were filed after he met with the anti-graft agency, and Obasa consistently denied any wrongdoing.

With Meranda now at the helm, the Lagos State House of Assembly embarks on a new chapter with expectations of increased transparency and integrity in legislative proceedings.

Naijanewsngr reports that Mike Johnson has been re-elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of Donald Trump’s second term.

The U.S. House of Representatives has re-elected Republican Mike Johnson as speaker, highlighting Republican unity ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming second term in the White House.

Johnson secured the position after an initial round of voting where some Republicans withheld support over his involvement in bipartisan budget talks, causing uncertainty about his win.

Johnson ultimately achieved 218 votes in the 435-member chamber after Ralph Norman (South Carolina) and Keith Self (Texas) changed their votes following an intervention from Donald Trump.

Democrats unanimously supported minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, who received 215 votes. Republican Thomas Massie cast his vote for fellow GOP member Tom Emmer, breaking party alignment.

The Republicans’ narrow House majority underscores the need for near-total unity to pass party-line votes, making the speakership race a test of their cohesion.

Trump’s influence was evident in Friday’s vote, as he called for Republican backing of Johnson while preparing his agenda for tax cuts and mass deportations when he assumes office.

The speakership vote marked the opening day of the 119th Congress, following November’s elections where Republicans gained majorities in both chambers, flipping Senate control from Democrats.

Despite earlier opposition to Johnson over his December bipartisan budget bill support, Republican leadership and Trump appeared to consolidate the party’s backing for him on Friday morning.

“Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support,” Trump wrote on social media.

“A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!!” he added

Nevertheless, after the roll-call vote was held, Johnson was initially shy of the 218 votes needed for victory. With his victory, Johnson remains the third most powerful politician in the United States.

Naijanewsngr reports that US President-elect Donald Trump is to be sentenced on January 10 in a Hush Money Case.

Donald Trump, the U.S. President-elect, is set to be sentenced on January 10 following his conviction in May 2024 for falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to an adult film star. Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, denied Trump’s motion to dismiss the charges despite his presidential election victory.

Merchan ruled that Trump could attend the sentencing either in person or virtually, which will occur just 10 days before his inauguration. The judge noted that the most suitable resolution might be an “unconditional discharge,” a sentence with no jail time, fines, or probation.

Trump’s legal team had argued for the case’s dismissal, claiming it would hinder his ability to govern as president. However, Merchan rejected this assertion, stating that setting aside the jury’s verdict would significantly undermine the rule of law. He emphasized that Trump’s status as President-elect does not justify the extraordinary measure of dismissing the case.

The charges stem from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, to adult film actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. While Trump denies the affair, a Manhattan jury found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal the payment, marking the first time a U.S. president, past or present, has been convicted of a criminal offense.

Initially, Trump’s sentencing was scheduled for November 26 but was postponed after his election victory. Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office suggested alternative approaches to avoid interfering with Trump’s presidency, including delaying sentencing until after his term or imposing a non-custodial sentence.

In their proposal, prosecutors also highlighted the possibility of terminating the case without sentencing, noting that such measures had been applied in cases where defendants passed away before sentencing.

Trump pleaded not guilty and labeled the case a politically motivated effort by Bragg, a Democrat, to derail his 2024 campaign. He attempted to overturn the conviction, citing a U.S. Supreme Court ruling limiting criminal prosecution of presidents for their official actions. However, Merchan dismissed this argument, affirming that the charges pertain to personal acts and do not interfere with presidential authority.

Falsifying business records in New York carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though legal experts previously deemed incarceration unlikely for Trump due to his advanced age and lack of prior convictions.

In 2023, Trump also faced three additional criminal cases, including charges over classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He pleaded not guilty in all three cases. The Justice Department dismissed two federal cases following his election win, but a separate state case in Georgia concerning alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results remains pending.