By Our Reporter The impeachment of former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has sent shockwaves across Lagos po...
By Our Reporter
The impeachment of former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has sent shockwaves across Lagos politics, laying bare a mix of ambition, power tussles, and political miscalculations. The six-term lawmaker, whose political influence once seemed unassailable, was removed on Monday in what insiders describe as a culmination of conflicts with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), and even President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Obasa's political troubles gained traction when speculation about his ambition for the 2027 Lagos governorship race began to swirl. Though dismissed as rumors initially, his intentions became clearer after an endorsement from the Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Isaac Ayo Olawuyi, during the Assembly’s 22nd Annual Thanksgiving Service.
The Archbishop had subtly called for religious balance in the state, stating, "Lagosians should elect a Muslim governor in 2027 after 12 years of Christian leadership." This remark, combined with Obasa’s visible confidence at the event, fueled speculation of his governorship ambition.
However, his public declaration during the 2025 budget presentation that he was “not too young or inexperienced to run for governor” stirred discontent within the party. The comment, made in the presence of Governor Sanwo-Olu, was interpreted as a direct challenge to the party’s leadership, setting off a chain of events that would lead to his downfall.
Also, observers believe his potential candidacy posed a threat to other contenders, including Seyi Tinubu, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, and former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
A former Lagos Assembly Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, downplayed the role of Obasa’s governorship ambition in his impeachment but acknowledged broader political interests at play. Fouad Oki, an APC chieftain, described Obasa as “an emperor” whose removal was necessary to restore balance within the party
Sanwo-Olu and the GAC Strike Back
Multiple reports suggest that Obasa’s fate might have been sealed during President Tinubu’s visit to Lagos for the festive season. Sources in the know said that the first sign of trouble for the speaker appeared when observers noticed a change in the President’s disposition towards him. The ‘powerful’ Governor’s Advisory Council had visited the President at his Lagos home to report Obasa to Tinubu, who in addition to being the national of the ruling party also doubles as the godfather of Lagos politics. The Chairman of GAC, Tajudeen Olusi, was said to have opened the discussion reminding the President of how highly the governor’s office was held in the state when he was governor between 1999 and 2007. Olusi was then said to have told the President that the disrespect that Governor Sanwo-Olu had suffered at the hands of the Speaker was no longer acceptable. According to sources, Olusi went on to reel off instances when the speaker disrespected the governor, including one instance where some elders had to physically intervene and reprimand the Speaker.
The President, a source at the meeting said, was quite displeased with the feedback given by the GAC leadership and went on to tongue-lash him. Tinubu reportedly excoriated Obasa for not just disrespecting the governor and his office, but also for poorly co-managing the politics of the state.
Tinubu allegedly cited the case of a bill being put forward by the Assembly to enable them to sack the Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission. A source at the meeting said the President scoffed at the idea, describing it as a huge joke, presided over by the speaker. The President, the source said, amused by the very idea, wondered aloud, “Which governor will sign such a bill into law, anyway?”
After the meeting was dismissed and everybody made to leave, the speaker was said to have run after the President into an inner room, in a bid to tell his side of the story and probably pacify a visibly angry Tinubu. Suspecting Obasa’s move, a couple of other GAC members allegedly joined in that second meeting, where the issues were further discussed and the Speaker was still condemned, by the majority.
Obasa's Move to Scrap the LCDAs
Obasa’s proposal to scrap the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created under Tinubu’s governorship further alienated him from party leaders. The bill, which sought to align Lagos’ administrative structure with the 1999 Constitution’s recognition of only 20 local governments, sparked outrage.
APC Lagos Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi described the move as “an attack on the state’s development,” citing the LCDAs’ contributions to infrastructure, education, and social services. The proposal was widely seen as a political misstep that intensified calls for Obasa’s removal.
Corruption Allegations and EFCC Probes
Obasa’s political career has long been dogged by allegations of financial impropriety. In 2020, SaharaReporters alleged that Obasa operated 64 bank accounts under various names to siphon public funds. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited him for questioning, but he denied the allegations, attributing them to political opponents.
More recently, allegations that the Assembly spent ₦17 billion on constructing a gate, as well as ₦200 million on a thanksgiving event, resurfaced. Obasa dismissed the claims as politically motivated, linking them to fears surrounding the 2027 elections.
On Monday, Assembly members unanimously voted to impeach Obasa, replacing him with Mojisola Meranda. Announcing the decision, Abiodun Tobun, representing Epe Constituency 1, stated, “The members of the House felt we had had enough of the leadership of Mudashiru Obasa. This action is to save our image and Lagos State.”
The new leadership, led by Speaker Meranda, has pledged to work harmoniously with the executive arm to advance the state’s development goals.
Obasa’s impeachment underscores the complexity of Lagos politics, where loyalty to the party hierarchy and strategic alliances often determine political survival. As the dust settles, the focus shifts to the 2027 elections, with questions lingering about the future of Lagos’ political landscape.
For Obasa, the fall from grace serves as a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of power tussles in Nigeria’s political arena.
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