Inside story: How hubris, intrigues, energy play sealed Obasa’s destiny

Mudasiru Obasa’s reign as speaker of the Lagos State Home of Meeting was dropped at an abrupt finish on Monday after he was unanimously impeached by members of the Meeting. WALE AKINSELURE, on this piece, writes on the hubris, battles and intrigues that sealed Obasa’s destiny

On Monday, Mudashiru Obasa was impeached because the speaker of the Lagos State Home of Meeting over a number of allegations of fraud, with eager followers of Lagos politics insinuating his removing was a fallout of underground intrigues and battles.

His removing got here days after he was alleged to have overseen the withdrawal of N43.5bn for backup automobiles for lawmakers, amongst different a number of statutory and monetary infractions. He was reportedly in Atlanta, United States of America when the lawmakers convened and launched into processes resulting in his impeachment. Shortly after his removing, a few of his loyalists who stormed the Meeting have been seen in a Black Maria parked in entrance of the Home of Meeting advanced with the inscription, ‘Lagos State Process Power.’

Within the vital political shakeup that adopted his removing, the Deputy Speaker, Mrs Mojisola Meranda, was instantly elected as the brand new speaker, whereas the Deputy Chief Whip, Fatai Mojeed, was elected as the brand new deputy speaker. Till his removing, Obasa had served because the Home speaker from June 2015.

The member representing Epe Constituency 1, Abiodun Tobun, described the choice to alter the Home management as unanimous. Whereas asserting the brand new leaders of the Home, Tobun added that each one standing committees and principal positions had been dissolved. He stated, “It’s only demise that’s fixed, so change is inevitable. Members of the Parliament as we speak have determined to alter the management of the Home. The Structure makes it clear that the Home has the facility to manage its proceedings.

“The members of the Home felt we had had sufficient of the management of Mudashiru Obasa. We unanimously agreed that Mojisola Meranda would change into the brand new speaker and Fatai Adebola can be the deputy speaker. It was a decision concurred by all members of the parliament. As we communicate, all principal positions and standing committees of the Home have been dissolved.

“The Home has resolved to work collectively to maneuver the parliament to the subsequent degree. We can’t sit again and watch the parliament fall into spoil. We owe our constituencies and Lagos State the obligation of restoring the sanity and integrity of this Home. That’s the reason we’ve got taken this motion—to save lots of our picture and our state.”

One politician, a number of battles

Throughout his nine-year reign as speaker, Obasa fought many battles, together with allegations of misappropriation of funds and the battle to carry on to the place, time period after time period. Nevertheless, he appeared irremovable till Monday.

In 2020, Obasa was invited to be questioned by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee over allegations of diversion of Lagos funds to his private corporations and checking account. Nevertheless, he denied all of the allegations.

The newest allegation he shoved apart as “spurious and laughable” was that the Meeting spent N17bn in developing a gate. In his defence, Obasa stated the allegations have been politically motivated, declaring particularly that “such baseless claims will come up because the 2027 elections strategy.”

He stated, “It’s humorous. How a lot is the allocation of the Meeting in an entire yr for anybody to say we spent N17bn on a gate? They even alleged that we spent N200m on the just lately organised twenty second Thanksgiving Service, which is unfaithful.

“We’re conscious that as elections in 2027 strategy, such baseless claims will come up. It appears some persons are scared, and I don’t know why. This Home has not launched into any such challenge. We aren’t reckless. Our Thanksgiving Service was held final Friday, attended by dignitaries from throughout the state.”

The unlucky speech

However political observers are of the view that Obasa’s cup received crammed together with his remarks when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on November 21, 2024, introduced the state’s 2025 finances of N3,005,935,198,401. Throughout the presentation, Obasa pivoted from the problem of the day into a protracted remark about his purported ambition to succeed Sanwo-Olu. He remarked, imperiously, that regardless of ongoing hypothesis, he had not critically thought-about working for governor. He emphasised that his major concern was strengthening the celebration within the state. Observers say Obasa’s remarks, which some Lagos powerbrokers reportedly deemed haughty, have been the ultimate straw. The previous speaker declared that whereas he had not given the matter a severe thought, he didn’t lack the expertise to contest the governorship election. He additionally added that not one of the previous occupiers of the workplace, as soon as held by his godfather, was higher than him.

“Changing into a governor is secondary; it’s one thing that I’ve not given severe consideration. However, that doesn’t imply I’m too younger or lack expertise to run; whereas, those that have been earlier than me usually are not higher off.

“As well as, it’s also vital to right the impression from some naysayers who’ve been insinuating that I made cost to hunt blood relations in Ojo to validate my candidacy to run as governor.

“In fact, I’ve by no means denied the truth that I’m Obasa. Reasonably, I’ve by no means claimed to be associated to Onikoyi, Oniru, or any of the opposite well-liked Lagos households because the case could also be. I can certainly by no means run (away) from the truth that I’m associated to my Obasa household in Ojo. However I don’t want native validity to contest or run any election. If ultimately, I’m contesting, I’ll achieve this from Agege,” Obasa stated.

In a present of political energy, Obasa’s allies within the Meeting rallied round him and the lawmakers handed a vote of confidence within the embattled speaker. Nevertheless, that present of confidence solely lasted six weeks. Politics and the way the tide might change in minutes!

The day issues fell aside

The PidomNigeria learnt that Obasa’s destiny may need been sealed throughout President Tinubu’s go to to Lagos for the festive season. Sources within the know stated that the primary signal of hassle for the speaker appeared when observers seen a change within the President’s disposition in direction of him. The ‘highly effective’ Governor’s Advisory Council had visited the President at his Lagos residence to report Obasa to Tinubu, who along with being the nationwide of the ruling celebration additionally doubles because the godfather of Lagos politics. The Chairman of GAC, Tajudeen Olusi, was stated to have opened the dialogue reminding the President of how extremely the governor’s workplace was held within the state when he was governor between 1999 and 2007. Olusi was then stated to have advised the President that the disrespect that Governor Sanwo-Olu had suffered by the hands of the Speaker was not acceptable. In line with sources, Olusi went on to reel off situations when the speaker disrespected the governor, together with one occasion the place some elders needed to bodily intervene and reprimand the Speaker.

The President, a supply on the assembly stated, was fairly displeased with the suggestions given by the GAC management and went on to tongue-lash him. Tinubu reportedly excoriated Obasa for not simply disrespecting the governor and his workplace, but in addition for poorly co-managing the politics of the state.

Tinubu allegedly cited the case of a invoice being put ahead by the Meeting to allow them to sack the Chairman of the Lagos State Impartial Electoral Fee. A supply on the assembly stated the President scoffed on the concept, describing it as an enormous joke, presided over by the speaker. The President, the supply stated, amused by the very concept, questioned aloud, “Which governor will signal such a invoice into legislation, anyway?”

After the assembly was dismissed and everyone made to go away, the speaker was stated to have run after the President into an inside room, in a bid to inform his aspect of the story and possibly pacify a visibly indignant Tinubu. Suspecting Obasa’s transfer, a few different GAC members allegedly joined in that second assembly, the place the problems have been additional mentioned and the Speaker was nonetheless condemned, by the bulk.

‘He noticed himself as an Emperor’

A chieftain of the APC, Fouad Oki, justified the impeachment of Obasa, saying the ex-speaker was starting to see himself as an emperor. Reacting to Obasa’s removing on a Channels Tv programme on Monday, Oki stated the removing of the sixth-term APC lawmaker representing Agege Constituency I, was not sudden for any discerning watcher of Lagos politics.

Oki stated, “He noticed himself as an emperor. It grew to become very apparent that there was a necessity for a change within the management of the parliament in Lagos. In the event you solid your thoughts again, you need to have seen this coming within the final 18 months.

“Recall the occasions on the day when the governor introduced the 2025 appropriation invoice and the management of the celebration was invited to the conference.

“Not solely was the governor saved ready for over 4 hours, however the management of the celebration and all invited dignitaries have been additionally saved ready with no apology given. And when he got here into the chambers, courtesies, too, weren’t prolonged to anybody.

“Reasonably, it was a state of affairs or an occasion of letting folks know that “I’m the emperor right here.” One of many methods to verify such an irresponsible perspective is by stopping his excesses,” he acknowledged.

The grassroots politician careworn that the impeachment was performed in Tinubu’s finest curiosity to see that Lagos continued to stay pivotal by way of his political management. He added, “Earlier than the President got here residence, this concern had been lingering. Within the knowledge of members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, the President’s consideration was known as. The President, as father and chief, known as a gathering whereby he tried to make a way out of the observations raised by elders of the celebration. Sadly, the President noticed the (former) speaker as recalcitrant. I believe that’s what broke the camel’s again.”

The 2027 angle

Within the aftermath of the impeachment, Obasa’s travails have been linked to the 2027 race. There’s hypothesis that Obasa was poised to battle for the All Progressives Congress ticket with Seyi Tinubu, fast previous Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode; Senator Tokunbo Abiru; and different heavyweights. Furthermore, Seyi has been receiving a sequence of endorsements from many teams although Obasa, who was the longest-serving speaker of Lagos insisted he was not too younger or inexperienced to run. Forward of the 2027 ballot, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, an umbrella physique of youth teams throughout the six geopolitical zones, endorsed Seyi for the Lagos governorship place in 2027. These angling for Ambode’s return say they need him to finish 16 years for Christians earlier than energy might return to the Muslims within the state.

In an interview with TVC on Monday, a former speaker of the Lagos Meeting, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, stated there was extra to the impeachment past the trending speculations.

When requested whether or not it needed to do with Obasa’s intention to run for governor, Ikuforiji stated, “I don’t assume I’ll agree with that as a result of the current governor is in his second time period. He can’t run for that workplace once more. So, there isn’t a purpose why he can be aggravated that the Speaker needs to run for the workplace of the governor. That can not be a part of this factor.”

When requested concerning the affect of the GAC and different political pursuits, he stated, “Sure there are greater pursuits however I don’t assume anyone within the Governor’s Advisory Council can be aggravated with a Speaker desirous to run for the workplace of the governor.

“I received into the Home along with Obasa in 2003 and I left virtually 10 years in the past and he’s nonetheless there. So, what subsequent? It’s an appropriate ambition. Although chances are you’ll ask your self, the time remains to be to this point, why getting the entire polity heated up over the problem of 2027? I don’t assume it’s proper.”

In the meantime, Sanwo-Olu has distanced himself from the impeachment of Speaker Obasa. Sanwo-Olu’s Particular Adviser on Media & Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, in an interview with The PidomNigeria, described Obasa’s impeachment as a strict legislative affair devoid of politics or the state authorities’s affect or interference.

“It’s purely a legislative matter and the Meeting dealt with it one of the simplest ways they might. It has nothing to do with the governor,” Akosile merely stated, citing the separation of powers within the structure, involving the Govt, Legislative, and Judiciary.