When the Lagos State House of Assembly commenced an emergency plenary session on Monday, many observers could not have predicted the outcome.
The lawmakers went on a recess after their 6 January plenary and their speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, was outside the country.
In the Speaker’s absence, his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, could preside over a sitting of the Assembly. On Monday, she and the 29 other lawmakers who attended the emergency sitting had only one thing in mind: the removal of Mr Obasa.
By the end of the session, Mr Obasa’s long career as the Speaker of the House had ended suddenly. All 30 lawmakers present, of the total 40 state lawmakers, voted to remove him from office and elected Ms Meranda to lead the House.
Mr Obasa’s alleged infractions, documented in a statement issued by the Assembly’s Public Affairs Directorate, centered around the misappropriation of funds and lack of transparency in the management of the assembly.
He was also accused of misconduct and poor leadership, with the statement saying he was ceaselessly late for legislative sessions and meetings. His allegedly authoritarian style of leadership and abuse of office, coupled with the alleged intimidation and oppression of his fellow lawmakers triggered the motion for impeachment.
“We’ve had enough of the Right Honourable Speaker,” Abiodun Tobun, a member of the House, said during a briefing with journalists.
Flanked by other lawmakers, Mr Tobun said Mr Obasa’s impeachment was necessary to “safeguard the sanctity and reputation” of the Assembly.
The removal of a Speaker by a two-thirds majority vote is backed by section 92(2) (C) of the Nigerian constitution. Mr Obasa’s removal by 75 per cent of the lawmakers ended the leadership of the 52-year-old lawmaker, who has represented Agege state constituency for 18 years.
So how did Lagos’s longest-serving Speaker (2015 to 2025), purported to nurse an ambition to become the next governor of Lagos State, get kicked out of his exalted seat?
Obasa’s Rise and Fall
Mr Obasa was born on 11 November 1972. His political career took off when he became a councilor in Agege Local Government under the Alliance for Democracy in 1999. He served in this role until 2002.
Mr Obasa secured a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2003, representing Agege Constituency I. He went on to win re-elections in 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, solidifying his position as a prominent figure in Lagos State politics.
To put Mr Obasa’s long stay as a Lagos lawmaker in perspective, he has served as a lawmaker under four different state governors (Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Babajide Sanwo-Olu) and was Speaker during the tenure of the last two.
Mr Obasa’s nearly decade-long reign as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly was a study in contrasts. On one hand, his unwavering loyalty to Bola Tinubu’s Bourdillon faction earned him immense influence and power. On the other, his unyielding stance often sparked controversy and criticism.
He reportedly thwarted key initiatives and budget proposals, during Akinwunmi Ambode’s governorship tenure and was accused of arrogance and disregard for authority.
The same treatment was reportedly meted on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who was sworn into office in 2019.
Political observers and officials of Governor Sanwo-Olu said the ousted speaker refused to collaborate with the governor and in some instances, shown disrespect to him.
This situation strained their working relationship and raised concern among the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
For instance, the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council, the highest political, though unconstitutional, advisory body of the APC, had to meet with the feuding duo after the Assembly rejected 17 out of the 39 cabinet nominees sent by the governor for screening.
It was speculated that the nominees were rejected for political reasons.
Aside from the contentious 2024 Lagos State Local Council Administration Law sent to Governor Sanwo-Olu for approval, which had already created tension between the two parties, Mr Obasa’s remarks during the 2025 budget presentation proved to be the final straw.
In his speech, Mr Obasa threw jibes at the governor and quipped that he was more qualified to govern the state.
“Let me also emphasise that those who live in glass houses must not throw stones as the saying goes… Becoming 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 of,” he said.
His statement angered many party leaders, loyalists and state officials who believed Mr Obasa’s disrespect to the governor must not go unchecked.
A long tenure, experience, and seniority can foster self-assurance, which may sometimes be perceived as arrogance. Nevertheless, the situation was brought to the attention of the leader of the APC, President Bola Tinubu.
President Tinubu reportedly reprimanded Mr Obasa and warned him against disrespecting the governor. The meeting may have led to Mr Obasa’s unceremonious removal.
Allegations of Financial Misappropriation
Among his many ‘sins’, Mr Obasa was reportedly involved in a multimillionaire scandal and alleged looting of public funds.
The former speaker was alleged to have spent N17 billion to fix a gate at the Lagos Assembly complex. It was also alleged that he spent N200 million on a thanksgiving service for staff.
Mr Obasa has since denied the allegations.
Another media report claimed that he, in collusion with certain lawmakers, facilitated the monthly disbursement of N10 million to his wife. This allocation was purportedly made under the auspices of a gender inclusiveness programme for empowering women, but its legitimacy has been called into question.
In 2020, the former speaker was interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over allegations of fraud and financial misappropriation. He was said to have owned more than 60 bank accounts, through which he misused public funds.
In 2023, the EFCC withdrew the money laundering suit against Mr Obasa, according to a report by The Nation newspaper.
What’s Next?
Mr Obasa’s political future remains uncertain. Following his removal from office, speculations are rife about his next move.
The APC has a strong grip on the political leadership in Lagos so Mr Obasa is not expected to leave the party as he would want to remain relevant politically. However, he may choose to lie low and distance himself from his party’s key functions or reconcile with the top echelon of the APC.
