For his alleged daring and clandestine moves to secure endorsement of prominent Lagosians to challenge Seyi Tinubu in the Lagos State governorship election come 2027, the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly has inadvertently destroyed his political career as he is set to face legal charges over alleged impersonation
By Lukmon Ojerinde
Before he jetted out of the country on a vacation in the United States, the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honorable Mudashiru Obasa had allegedly assured his political associates that his biggest political dream in the near future was to clinch the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos which will enable him become the next governor of the state after its incumbent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to credible sources, Obasa had clinically done his home work and was satisfied that he had acquired enough resources to be the man to beat come the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election next year.
It was also gathered that Obasa was not unmindful of the overt ambition of the son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Seyi, to become the next governor of Lagos State in 2027. But as with the proverbial fly without an adviser which ends up inside the grave with the corpse, Obasa had dismissed Seyi Tinubu’s ambition as an impossibility, because according to reliable sources, Tinubu’s second term pursuit would not allow him to install his son as the next governor of Lagos State.
Having convinced himself that he was capable of achieving the ambition with or without President Tinubu’s endorsement, Obasa was said to have called the bluff of the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly whom he thought he had pocketed.
Obasa’s impeachment on Monday, January 13, 2025 came as a huge joke to him, according to information pieced together by this medium. The embattled former Speaker is said to be at a loss how he could have fallen from such a lofty political grace to grass having led the Assembly as Speaker for three terms. In reality, the deed had been done. The Jagaban’s family which he neglected in his wild goose chase has allegedly struck. And the result? Obasa had been impeached, demystified and humiliated.
His removal, which was executed while he was away in the United States, elicited widespread jubilation among staff members of the Assembly and observers.
As the impeachment proceedings went on, some suspected supporters of Obasa, who were arrested by the police reportedly sang “On your mandate…” while begging food and water from inside the police van.
The Speaker was removed alongside the Clerk of the Assembly, Olalekan Onafeko, and replaced with Abubakar Ottun in an acting capacity.
Addressing the media shortly after the impeachment, Abiodun Tobun, representing Epe Constituency 1, flanked by other lawmakers, described the decision as a necessary step to protect the integrity of the legislative body.
“Change is inevitable,” Tobun began solemnly. “The members of this House, in exercising our constitutional right to regulate our proceedings, unanimously decided that we had endured enough under the leadership of the Speaker. Today, we have resolved to replace him to safeguard the sanctity and reputation of this Assembly.”
The Assembly immediately appointed former Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, as the new Speaker and Mojeed Adebola as new Deputy Speaker.
According to Tobun, all principal positions and standing committees were dissolved, signaling a fresh start for the legislative arm.
He said, “This action was not taken lightly. “We owe Lagosians a duty to ensure that this House remains a beacon of integrity and progress. By removing the former Speaker, we have demonstrated our commitment to our constituents and the state at large.”
A different narrative had it that Obasa was impeached over alleged financial misappropriation.
The Assembly also removed the Clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, and dissolved all House committees.
An elated Speaker Meranda, sworn in at exactly 9:00am, said she would unveil her plans next week, saying “I will not be able to talk now.”
Although the former speaker maintained that he was innocent of the allegations, the impeachment ended his 10-year reign as speaker, which makes him the longest speaker of the House since its inception.
Specifically, Obasa had been accused of misappropriating N44 billion allocated for vehicles and capital projects in over two years, among others.
This development has generated concerns and raised questions about transparency and accountability in the Assembly’s financial operations from critics, including lawmakers and residents.
Following the development, the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has it seal on the emergence of Meranda as the new Speaker of the Assembly.
At the meeting, Meranda sought the cooperation and support of the council members of the group (being the highest decision-making body of the party in the state) to succeed.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, she said: ”We briefed the GAC about what happened at the state House of Assembly and to seek their blessings which we have gotten.”
The GAC, led by Tajudeen Olusi, declined any comment after the meeting, but it was learnt that Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu left Nigeria on Monday night for an official event.
Meanwhile, sequel to his removal, Obasa has been embroiled in a fresh controversy due to a Supreme Court document revealing his absence from Nigeria’s official registry of legal practitioners. The document, circulating on social media, highlights the missing record of Obasa’s name in the Supreme Court files.
In a letter titled: “Re: Verification of Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” he has been challenged to submit documents to the Supreme Court for enrollment and to verify that his name exists in their archives.
Signed by Gertrude Karenton-Mordi for the Chief Registrar, the July 24, 2020 correspondence responds to inquiries about Obasa’s legal status and confirms his name is not on the Rolls of Legal Practitioners.
The letter acknowledged receipt of an inquiry dated July 23, 2020, on Obasa’s credentials. It explicitly states, “Our records do not contain the name: MUDASHIRU AJAYI OBASA among the Rolls of Legal Practitioners held by this Honourable Court.”
Additionally, the document invites Obasa to present his Call to Bar certificate and any qualifications necessary for registration. Should there be any name changes, evidence must be supplied. This revelation, gaining traction on social media, heightens scrutiny over the former speaker’s qualifications as a counsel.
