Obasa: ‘My Removal Was Illegal, I Remain Speaker’
The political crisis in Lagos State deepened on Saturday as ousted Speaker Mudashiru Obasa rejected his impeachment, insisting he remains the rightful Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Obasa, who represented Agege Constituency I, was removed by 32 of the 40 lawmakers on January 13, 2025, over allegations of misconduct and financial mismanagement. His ousting, which President Bola Tinubu described as a “coup,” led to the election of Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda as the new Speaker, making her the first female to hold the position in the state.
Obasa, addressing a large crowd of supporters at his residence in Ikeja, Lagos on Saturday, rejected the removal, calling it unconstitutional. “I am still the Speaker until they follow the right process,” he said. “To impeach a speaker, the Constitution must be followed. I was removed with a fake mace, and that is not legal.”
He also denied rumours of harbouring ambitions to contest for Lagos governorship in 2027, challenging any leader who might have been approached by him regarding such plans to come forward.
Obasa dismissed the corruption allegations against him, including claims of financial mismanagement and the construction of an N16 billion gate. “Is it possible to construct an ordinary gate with N16 billion? How can they say we bought one Hilux for N1 billion?” Obasa questioned.
He criticized the involvement of the police during his removal and alleged that over 200 officers had surrounded his home, blocking his family’s movements. “I was out of the country when they did this. If you want to do anything, do it properly,” he said.
Obasa, who served as Speaker for nearly a decade, also expressed gratitude to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and President Bola Tinubu for their support over the years. He remains adamant that the removal was politically motivated and unresolved.
Supporters of the ousted Speaker, clad in pro-Obasa gear, gathered in solidarity, backing his claim to the Speakership as the crisis continues to unfold.
