The impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has begged President Bola Tinubu to nullify his removal by the legislators.
Obasa was removed in absentia on January 13, 2025, over allegations of gross misconduct and the alleged misappropriation of N43.5 billion of the State’s funds.
Obasa’s impeachment ended his nearly 10-year tenure as Speaker, a position he held since June 2015 after first being elected to the Lagos Assembly in 2007.
It paved the way for the first female Speaker, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda.
The former Speaker has since returned to Nigeria after a trip purportedly to the United States.
Following the impeachment, President Tinubu summoned a high-profile meeting in Abuja, which included Lagos Assembly lawmakers, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of the Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council, and key APC stakeholders.
Reports claim that Tinubu was displeased with Obasa’s removal, particularly as he was informed of the development through the media.
However, the President reportedly dismissed Obasa’s appeal to overturn the decision, stating: “You were not born a Speaker, and speakership was not created with you.”
Obasa argued that his impeachment should be annulled because the mace used during the proceedings wasn’t the official one.
He allegedly hid both official maces while traveling out of the country.
However, lawmakers refuted this, confirming that the mace used was a historical one from the assembly’s old building, rendering his claims invalid.
Realizing the futility of his plea, Obasa reportedly shifted his focus to requesting access to his personal belongings at the Speaker’s lodge and guest house, which Tinubu approved.
On Saturday, Obasa is set to return to Lagos and move into his Joel Ogunnaike Street residence in GRA Ikeja, where a lavish welcome party is being organized by loyalists led by Agege Local Government Chairman Ganiyu Egunjobi.
Meanwhile, Obasa is also expected to visit the Speaker’s lodge to retrieve his belongings, but this visit will be closely monitored by the new leadership.
Meranda, who previously served as Deputy Speaker, is now celebrated as the first female Speaker in the South-West, marking a significant milestone in Nigerian politics.