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Alleged N17 billion Fraud: Lagos lawmakers explain why Speaker Obasa was impeached
On Monday, Lagos State Speaker, Mudashir Obasa was impeached in a surprised move by members of the State Assembly.
It was initially unclear what led to the tsunami that flushed Obasa out of office, but facts began to emerge late on Monday that he was allegedly involved in N17 billion construction of the House of Assembly gate. An amount too humongous that drew the ire of members of the House.
Obasa who became Speaker of the House in 2015 has been in the eye of the storm bordering on corruption and money laundering, but has been surviving it until Monday. His many corruption allegations have been triggered by groups who petitioned and protested with no results in sight.
Few months, a go a group accused him of spending N17 billion to construct a gate that leads to the State House of Assembly.
The group operating under the aegis of Lagos State Anti-Corruption Coalition in December, 2024 demanded an investigation, but Obasa in his swift response described the allegation as spurious and funny of a group that was inexistent.
“It is so funny. How much is the allocation of the Assembly in the whole year that we will decide to spend N17 billion on a gate? They even claimed that we spent N200 million on Thanksgiving that did not hold.
“We are aware that at a period like this, when we are approaching elections in 2027, we should expect such things. I think some people are scared, and I don’t know why.”
CAPITAL POST reports that the Speaker has been put under inveetigation by his colleagues over the allegation among many other accusation which they have overlooked in the past ten years has been their leader.
Giving reasons later, members of the Assembly stated that he was impeached and removed from office over misconduct and abuse of office, though there was another twist to the development that he was involved in power play with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The move comes amid reports of a power struggle with Governor Sanwo-Olu. Lawmakers wasted no time in appointing
The embattled ex-Speaker represents Agege Constituency 1 in the Assembly since 2007 and has been the speaker since 2015.
A member of the State Assembly, Hon. Abiodun Tobun, in a press interview, who was flanked by other members told the media that the impeachment was necessary in order to save the image of the parliament and maintain the ethical standards of the legislative house.
Abiodun who represents Epe Constituency 1, said they decided to unanimously “change the leadership of the house” in line with the constitution because they “felt they have had enough” of Mr Obasa as speaker, adding that the development was a resolution by all members of the House over the weekend.
He added that all the principal positions and standing committees which were products of the former Speaker have been dissolved to pave way for new ones by the new Speaker, Mojisola Meranda who was immediately voted into office.
Mojisola Meranda was not found culpable in the alleged corruption and misconduct, hence, the female lawmaker was spared, according to insider source.
Obasa’s Deputy, Meranda presided over the plenary that removed him from seat on Monday as the former Speaker was believed to have travelled out of the country.
Inside the Chambers on Monday, member representing Kosofe State Constituency, Femi Saheed, moved the motion for impeachment of Mudashir Obasa, citing misappropriation of funds, poor leadership and abuse of office.
He said: “I hereby move that the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, be removed as speaker of this House for gross misconduct and poor leadership, including highhandedness and disregard for honourable members of the House of Assembly,” he said.
The lawmaker also accused him of “intimidation and suppression of and inciting members against one another…mismanagement of funds and lack of time transparency in his management of the House of Assembly funds.”
He accused Mr Obasa of abusing his position and its privileges.
Mr Saheed also described Mr Obasa’s leadership style as “authoritarian and undemocratic.”
The motion was unopposed, and all the lawmakers present supported it. The exact number of lawmakers present during Monday’s sitting could not be established as of the time of this report.
