A month and a half after his impeachment, Mudashiru Obasa, the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, proclaimed himself the rightful leader, asserting that his removal was unconstitutional and lacked due process.
Representing Agege Constituency I, Obasa returned to the assembly complex on Thursday, accompanied by police and State Security Service (SSS) personnel, and announced his resumption of duties as Speaker.
“I have resumed, and I remain the Speaker of the Assembly,” Obasa told reporters, emphasizing that his impeachment did not follow constitutional protocols. “Impeachment or removal is democratic and constitutional, but in doing that, you must follow the due process. I am not against that. If I do that, then I am not democratic,” he added.
This development comes amid ongoing turmoil in the Lagos State House of Assembly, which has been mired in conflict since Obasa’s removal on January 13, 2025, and the subsequent election of Mojisola Meranda as Speaker. Obasa’s return coincided with the sudden withdrawal of security aides assigned to Meranda, intensifying the political standoff.
Obasa had been impeached following allegations from fellow lawmakers, including accusations of poor leadership, lateness, high-handedness, abuse of office, intimidation, oppression, and misappropriation of funds.
Efforts to mediate the crisis have involved senior members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including former governors Chief Bisi Akande, Mr. Segun Osoba, and Dr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who met with lawmakers after President Bola Tinubu intervened.
Sources indicate that both Obasa and Meranda may be asked to step down, with the leadership mantle potentially falling to one of the seven lawmakers from Lagos West, as Chief Muraina Taiwo of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) suggested.
As the situation unfolds, the fate of the Assembly’s leadership remains uncertain, with stakeholders watching closely to see if a consensus can be reached or if the chamber will plunge deeper into division.
