The impeachment and removal of the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday, 13 January 2025, was at least the third attempt, to the best of my knowledge.
The first attempt to impeach and remove him occurred during his first term as Speaker (2015–2019). At the time, rumors circulated that some members, in connivance with the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, were plotting to impeach the Speaker. It was alleged that Governor Ambode gave one of the members the sum of ₦500 million to mobilize others to remove the Speaker.
In my book, Two Decades of Lagos State House of Assembly: Face to Face with Movers and Shakers, I asked one of the key figures behind the impeachment attempt about this allegation, and here is what he had to say:
*”That was a blatant lie. Nobody could remove the Speaker. The stabilizer of this House was Hon. Bayo Osinowo and, by extension, Asiwaju Tinubu. So, if there were issues and the Speaker was to be removed, it could not have come from any member. The only person who had the power to remove the Speaker was Hon. Osinowo, and he would have needed approval from Asiwaju. Nobody would ever contemplate such an idea without Asiwaju’s consent. Politics is dirty—people fabricate lies to upstage or sideline you. I suspect that some individuals who wanted my position as Chairman of the House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning were behind such falsehoods.
Fortunately, the Speaker realized there was no truth to the allegations. Even the Governor of Lagos State could not attempt such a move because, in one way or another, we all assumed office with the blessings of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No one, therefore, could remove the Speaker without Asiwaju Tinubu’s concurrence or express approval.
…They claimed that I was the one to whom Ambode gave ₦500 million to distribute. I asked them a simple question: ₦500 million? To share? If I had ₦500 million, I would have resigned. Since I have been in office, I do not think I can boast of having ₦50 million in my account. If I had ₦500 million, I would resign and invest in business—I know how to do business.
Secondly, they alleged that Ambode gave me ₦500 million when Olulade and Buraimoh were there. Was I that close to Ambode that I would be the one to distribute ₦500 million? And after sharing it, there was no noise? There is no way one would distribute ₦500 million without controversy. I would have taken a larger share, and others who felt short-changed would have raised objections, leading to a serious brouhaha. Did anyone come forward with evidence of the money they claimed I distributed? Ambode never gave me any money.”*
By Tolani Abati, a former Chief Press Secretary to the Office of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly. He is the author of the book title: Two Decades of Lagos State House of Assembly.
