*PBAT and Obasa
The impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly has sent shockwaves through the city’s political landscape as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu strengthened his influence ahead of 2027 general elections.
In a stunning turn of events on Monday December 13, 2024, Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa was removed from office after he was impeached for alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office by fellow lawmakers.
His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1, has been sworn in as the new Speaker, while Mojeed Fatai has also been elected as the new Deputy Speaker.
Obasa has represented Agege Constituency 1 in the Assembly since 2007 and has been the speaker since 2015.
“We’ve had enough” – Lagos lawmakers reveal why Obasa was impeached
The lawmakers, who voted unanimously for his removal, cited a series of ethical breaches and poor leadership as reasons for their decision.
Abiodun Tobun, a lawmaker representing Epe Constituency 1, described the impeachment as a necessary step to preserve the integrity of the legislative house.
“We’ve had enough,” Tobun said, emphasizing that the decision to remove Obasa was a collective resolution.
The motion for impeachment, moved by Femi Saheed of Kosofe Constituency, outlined accusations against the former speaker, including high-handedness, incitement among members, and misuse of Assembly funds.
Saheed labelled Obasa’s leadership style as “authoritarian and undemocratic,” adding that his actions undermined the principles of good governance.
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Alleged misappropriation of funds
Obasa has faced many corruption allegations. Recently, a group accused him of spending N17 billion to construct a gate that leads to the assembly.
The Lagos State Anti-Corruption Coalition also sought an investigation of the claim.
Addressing the allegation in December, Mr Obasa described it as spurious and funny.
“It is so funny. How much is the allocation of the Assembly in the whole year that we will decide to spend N17 billion on a gate? They even claimed that we spent N200 million on Thanksgiving that did not hold.
“We are aware that at a period like this, when we are approaching elections in 2027, we should expect such things. I think some people are scared, and I don’t know why.”
Other Obasa’s controversies
Aside from the funds misappropriation allegations, he made some statements that didn’t sit well with some people.
In 2020, during a live TV broadcast, he remarked that the Lagos State House of Assembly would not recognize the deaths of miscreants killed by the police during the #EndSARS protest that shook the nation. This statement came as he called for a minute of silence for victims of the protest.
During the 2023 general elections, Lagos residents were deeply divided along ethnic, political, and religious lines. In light of this, Obasa declared that Lagos is Yoruba land and not a “no man’s land,” as some claimed.
He further stated that lawmakers would enact new property and business ownership laws to protect the interests of Lagos indigenes.
“There will be laws in areas of economy and commerce, property and titles, and we will reverse all that can be reversed to safeguard the interests of the indigenes,” he said.
His most recent remark, which sparked widespread reactions, addressed rumors of his intention to run for Lagos governor in 2027.
During the presentation of the 2025 budget, Obasa clarified, “Becoming governor is secondary; it is something I have yet to give serious consideration. But that doesn’t mean I am too young or inexperienced to run. After all, those before me weren’t necessarily better.”
Under Obasa’s leadership as Speaker, the Assembly has passed several bills aimed at benefiting the residents of the state, some of which have been signed into law.
These include the ban on open cattle grazing, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (Amendment) Law of 2020, the bill to protect witnesses and victims with critical information for effective case prosecution, the Value Added Tax (VAT) bill, among others.
Battle with Lagos governor, Sanwo-Olu and 2027 governorship ambition
However, observers said the allegations of corruption and others were not the reasons for Obasa’s impeachment but his rumoured gubernatorial ambition for 2027 and disrepect of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, escpcially the remarks he made when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on November 21, 2024, presented the state’s 2025 budget of N3,005,935,198,401.
During the presentation, Obasa pivoted from the issue of the day into a long comment about his purported ambition to succeed Sanwo-Olu. He remarked, imperiously, that despite ongoing speculation, he had not seriously considered running for governor. He emphasised that his primary concern was strengthening the party in the state.
Observers say Obasa’s remarks, which some Lagos powerbrokers reportedly deemed haughty, were the final straw. The former speaker declared that while he had not given the matter a serious thought, he did not lack the experience to contest the governorship election. He also added that none of the past occupiers of the office, once held by his godfather, was better than him.
“Becoming a governor is secondary; it is something that I have not given serious consideration. Nevertheless, that does not mean I am too young or lack experience to run; whereas, those who have been before me are not better off.
“In addition, it is also important to correct the impression from some naysayers who have been insinuating that I made payment to seek blood relations in Ojo to validate my candidacy to run as governor.
“Of course, I have never denied the fact that I am Obasa. Rather, I have never claimed to be related to Onikoyi, Oniru, or any of the other popular Lagos families as the case may be. I can indeed never run (away) from the fact that I am related to my Obasa family in Ojo. But I do not need local validity to contest or run any election. If eventually, I am contesting, I will do so from Agege,” Obasa said.
In a show of political strength, Obasa’s allies in the Assembly rallied around him and the lawmakers passed a vote of confidence in the embattled speaker. However, that show of confidence only lasted six weeks. Politics and how the tide could change in minutes!
Obasa’s fate sealed during Tinubu’s festive holiday in Lagos
According to The PUNCH, Obasa’s fate was sealed during President Tinubu’s visit to Lagos for the festive season.
Sources in the know said that the first sign of trouble for the speaker appeared when observers noticed a change in the President’s disposition towards him. The ‘powerful’ Governor’s Advisory Council had visited the President at his Lagos home to report Obasa to Tinubu, who in addition to being the national of the ruling party also doubles as the godfather of Lagos politics.
The Chairman of GAC, Tajudeen Olusi, was said to have opened the discussion reminding the President of how highly the governor’s office was held in the state when he was governor between 1999 and 2007. Olusi was then said to have told the President that the disrespect that Governor Sanwo-Olu had suffered at the hands of the Speaker was no longer acceptable.
According to sources, Olusi went on to reel off instances when the speaker disrespected the governor, including one instance where some elders had to physically intervene and reprimand the Speaker.
The President, a source at the meeting said, was quite displeased with the feedback given by the GAC leadership and went on to tongue-lash him. Tinubu reportedly excoriated Obasa for not just disrespecting the governor and his office, but also for poorly co-managing the politics of the state.
Tinubu allegedly cited the case of a bill being put forward by the Assembly to enable them to sack the Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission. A source at the meeting said the President scoffed at the idea, describing it as a huge joke, presided over by the speaker. The President, the source said, amused by the very idea, wondered aloud, “Which governor will sign such a bill into law, anyway?”
After the meeting was dismissed and everybody made to leave, the speaker was said to have run after the President into an inner room, in a bid to tell his side of the story and probably pacify a visibly angry Tinubu. Suspecting Obasa’s move, a couple of other GAC members allegedly joined in that second meeting, where the issues were further discussed and the Speaker was still condemned, by the majority.
The 2027 angle
In the aftermath of the impeachment, Obasa’s travails have been linked to the 2027 race.
Public affairs commentator Dayo Kayode stated, “It’s all about 2027. The APC is positioning itself strategically, and Obasa’s ambition was unsettling for the party’s hierarchy.”
There is speculation that Obasa was poised to battle for the All Progressives Congress ticket with Seyi Tinubu, immediate past Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode; Senator Tokunbo Abiru; and other heavyweights.
Moreover, Seyi has been receiving a series of endorsements from many groups though Obasa, who was the longest-serving speaker of Lagos insisted he was not too young or inexperienced to run.
Ahead of the 2027 poll, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, an umbrella body of youth groups across the six geopolitical zones, endorsed Seyi for the Lagos governorship position in 2027. Those angling for Ambode’s return say they want him to complete 16 years for Christians before power could return to the Muslims in the state.
In an interview with TVC on Monday, a former speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said there was more to the impeachment beyond the trending speculations.
When asked whether it had to do with Obasa’s intention to run for governor, Ikuforiji said, “I don’t think I will agree with that because the present governor is in his second term. He can’t run for that office again. So, there is no reason why he will be annoyed that the Speaker wants to run for the office of the governor. That cannot be part of this thing.”
When asked about the influence of the GAC and other political interests, he said, “Yes there are bigger interests but I don’t think anybody in the Governor’s Advisory Council will be annoyed with a Speaker wanting to run for the office of the governor.
“I got into the House together with Obasa in 2003 and I left almost 10 years ago and he is still there. So, what next? It’s an acceptable ambition. Though you may ask yourself, the time is still so far, why getting the whole polity heated up over the issue of 2027? I don’t think it’s right.”
Sanwo-Olu reacts
Meanwhile in an interview with The PUNCH, Sanwo-Olu thorugh his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Gboyega Akosile distanced himself from the impeachment of Speaker Obasa.
He described Obasa’s impeachment as a strict legislative affair devoid of politics or the state government’s influence or interference.
“It is purely a legislative matter and the Assembly handled it the best way they could. It has nothing to do with the governor,” Akosile simply said, citing the separation of powers in the constitution, involving the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary.(agency)///
