By Akonasu Gbedozin In a dramatic turn of events, the Lagos State House of Assembly has impeached its Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, following w...
By Akonasu Gbedozin
In a dramatic turn of events, the Lagos State House of Assembly has impeached its Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, following what lawmakers described as a collective decision to chart a new course for the Assembly’s leadership. According to a report by The Punch, an unnamed member of the Assembly disclosed that Obasa’s removal was necessitated by growing dissatisfaction with his leadership.
The lawmaker explained, “It is only death that is constant, so change is inevitable. Members of the parliament today have decided to change the leadership of the House. The Constitution makes it clear that the House has the power to regulate its proceedings.
“The members of the House felt we had had enough of the leadership of Mudashiru Obasa. We unanimously agreed that Hon. Mojisola Meranda would become the new Speaker and Hon. Fatai Adebola would be the Deputy Speaker. It was a resolution concurred by all members of the parliament. As we speak, all principal positions and standing committees of the House have been dissolved."
The legislator further noted that the decision was driven by a commitment to restore "sanity and integrity" to the Assembly, adding, “We owe our constituencies and Lagos State the duty of restoring the image of this House. That is why we have taken this action—to save our image and our state.”
Meanwhile, the motion for his impeachment was moved under the Matter of Urgent Public Importance by Hon. Femi Saheed, representing Kosofe Constituency 2.
Hon. Saheed stated that in line with provision of section 92(2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Obasa has committed gross misconduct and showed poor leadership which included perpetual lateness to legislative sections and meetings; high handedness and lack of regard for members; gross abuse of office and privileges; intimidation and oppression of members by inciting members against one another amongst others.
He added that Obasa also practiced authoritarian and undemocratic leadership style in discharging his duties. He then moved the motion for his impeachment.
Following the adoption of the motion, the impeachment was done by 32 members through a voice vote.
Also, Obasa's impeachment comes amid recent controversies surrounding his tenure. A group, the Lagos State Anti-Corruption Coalition, had alleged that the Assembly spent ₦17 billion on constructing a gate and called for an investigation into the matter.
During a plenary session, Obasa dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated. “It is funny. How much is the allocation of the Assembly in a whole year for anyone to claim we spent ₦17 billion on a gate? They even alleged that we spent ₦200 million on the recently organised 22nd Thanksgiving service, which is untrue,” he said.
Obasa, a sixth-term lawmaker representing Agege Constituency I under the All Progressives Congress, has been at the helm of the Assembly for years but has faced repeated allegations of financial mismanagement.
With Hon. Mojisola Meranda now occupying the Speaker’s seat, the Assembly appears poised to move in a new direction. The unnamed lawmaker emphasized a unified commitment to progress, stating, “The House has resolved to work together to move the parliament to the next level. We cannot sit back and watch the parliament fall into ruin.”
The impeachment marks a significant shift in the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly, raising questions about the Assembly's future direction and the legacy of its now-former Speaker.
Culled from Punch
No comments