Members of the Lagos state House of Assembly Monday unanimously impeached Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, a development that sent staff members of the Assembly celebrating the impeachment.
The staff members of the state Assembly were seen in jubilant mood, as they claimed he never gave their welfare a priority while in office.
Obasa, who was on his third term, is considered the longest serving speaker in Lagos and indeed Nigeria.
The lawyer served as speaker from June 2015 to January 2025.
Moving the motion for his removal under matter of urgent public importance, Hon. Obafemi Saheed, Kosofe Constituency 2, who cited relevant sections of the constitution to back the impeachment, said the speaker was being removed for some infractions.
Obasa, who was away to the United States America (USA), was subsequently replaced by his deputy, Hon. Mojisola Meranda.
Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1, was also a former chief whip of the House, while Hon. Mojeed Fatai was elected the new deputy speaker.
Some of the allegations brought against the erstwhile speaker, according to the members, include gross misconduct, poor leadership, high handedness, lack of commitment to legislative business, lack of regard for lawmakers, intimidation and suppression of lawmakers.
He was also accused of inciting lawmakers against themselves, financial impropriety, misappropriation of fund, lack of transparency, gross abuse of office and privileges, and authoritarianism among others.
The motion for his impeachment was seconded by Hon Aro Moshood Abiodun (Ikorodu 2).
The motion for his impeachment was subjected to a voice vote three times by Hon. Meranda, who presided over the proceeding and all the lawmakers shouted “yes” in support of the impeachment, with none saying “nay” to counter the motion.
…Tobun explains
Speaking on the decision of the House to impeach Obasa, Hon. Abiodun Tobun, Epe Constituency 1, who contested the speakership position with him in 2023, emphasised that the action was necessary to protect the integrity of the legislature and the state.
“The lawmakers agreed to take this step to safeguard our image and Lagos State. Change is inevitable, and we felt it was time for a new direction,” Tobun said.
Tobun said the lawmakers had tolerated Obasa for a long time and have had enough of him.
…His ‘sins’
While presiding over the affairs of the House, Obasa was always at loggerhead with the executive arm, running what some called a parallel government with the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Obasa was also believed to be usually absent at most state functions and allegedly discouraging his colleagues from attending same, thus portraying the executive and the legislative arm as always at loggerhead.
For instance, at the celebration of the 2024 independence anniversary held at the Government House Marina, none of the lawmakers was present at the event, a development that was said to have embarrassed the governor.
Our correspondent also reports that in rare cases whenever any of the lawmakers attended state functions, they took time to shower praises on the speaker before delivering their speech, thus, presenting him as a power bloc of sort.
The governor was said to have enlisted the support of the Governance Advisory Committee (GAC) for a truce between him and Obasa, but this could not be achieved.
It was also gathered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the yuletide in Lagos, intervened and cautioned Obasa against lack of respect for the governor’s office.
Also, the ambition of Obasa to run for the seat of governor of the state in 2027, pitched him against some of those eyeing the coveted seat.
Similarly, it was also gathered that at the last budget presentation by Sanwo-Olu, he was also reported to have carpeted past leaders of the state.
The lawmaker, it was further revealed, also withdrew the accreditation of journalists covering the state legislature and took away the office allocated to the media.