Defiant Obasa says, ‘I remain the Speaker of the Assembly’; Lagos lawmakers describe outburst as “uncalled for and unparliamentary,”; youth group warns against threat to state security

About 48 hours after returning to the country from the United States of America and being unable to meet with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, a defiant former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Saturday dared his colleagues, insisting that he remains the speaker of the state assembly.

This is just as the state lawmakers asked the residents of the state to ignore the rantings of the former speaker, warning him not to heat up the polity.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of his supporters at his official residence at the GRA, Ikeja, Obasa, who represents Agege, insisted that his impeachment did not follow due process. According to him, the election of Hon. Mojisola Meranda as the new Speaker did not follow the law, declaring his removal null and void.

The embattled lawmaker alleged that a fake mace was used to install Meranda as Speaker, adding that hundreds of policemen invaded the assembly on the day of his removal to intimidate his loyalists.
Obasa also alleged that some policemen invaded his official residence on the same day and prevented members of his family in the house from coming out.

While vowing to resume as Speaker, Obasa also said he would challenge his removal in court.

“The speakership is not Obasa’s title; it is like a general. When you go to war, you may come out or you may not come back. So, I am not disturbed, perturbed or worried about the purported removal,” he said.

While hinting that the action must have had the tacit support of the executive arm of government in the state, he said that “however, things must be done properly. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police led police officers to invade the state assembly on the day of the removal, while over 200 policemen also invaded my private residence in Agege.

“They also blocked the gate to my official residence, while they prevented members of my family from going out of the house.

“I am not afraid of being removed; I have been a member of the House for almost 22 years and Speaker for almost 10 years and I think I have contributed my quota. But why did they have to break the chamber and use a fake mace to carry out the removal? If they say they don’t want me again, it is fine, but let them follow due procedure. My status in the House is that I believe strongly that I remain the Speaker of the Assembly until the right procedure to remove me is followed,” he said.

According to him, the removal of speakers in the past was conducted in their presence, without police involvement and intrusion into the state legislative chamber.

“Rt. Hon. Pelumi is my brother and friend; when he was removed, he was on the floor of the House, probably even presiding. When Hon. Funmi Tejuosho was removed, she was in the House and those who were suspended were also present.

“There was no involvement of the police, and the legislative chamber was not broken into. A fake mace was not brought to the House. I’m not afraid of being removed. If you have been a member of the House for over 20 years and Speaker for almost 10 years, you don’t get disturbed. But let them follow the proper procedure, and let us close this matter,” Obasa added.

He debunked the allegation that he spent N16 billion to construct a gate at the assembly complex, describing the allegation as ridiculous.
Obasa said it was not possible to construct any gate with N16 billion, just as he also debunked the allegation that he bought 40 Hilux vans for N40 billion as a speaker.
The former Speaker said he had not done anything wrong to warrant his removal, adding he had lived up to expectations, serving as a lawmaker for over two decades.

He stated that he believed so much in the assembly and would never partake in its destruction.
He appreciated members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for their love for the party and the state. Obasa also thanked the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu for her support, and President Tinubu, who he said would always be his father.

Recall Obasa was removed on January 13, at a plenary, over allegations of multiple fraud and other acts of gross misdemeanor. The House immediately replaced him with Meranda.

The Clerk of the House, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, was also suspended indefinitely, while the Chief Whip, Mr Mojeed Fatai, was elected the new Deputy Speaker.

Meanwhile, the state lawmakers, in a statement issued yesterday on their behalf by Ogundipe Olukayode have warned Obasa against actions capable of destabilising the legislative arm of government in the state and heating the polity.

The lawmakers reiterated their solidarity with the newly elected Speaker, Meranda, and their firm stance on the impeachment decision taken on January 13.

“It is imperative to clarify that over two-thirds of the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly are solidly united behind the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda.

“We stand by the decision taken to impeach Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa and we shall defend our position to the letter,” the statement added.

The lawmakers emphasised their commitment to good governance and harmonious relationship with other arms of government, stressing that the Assembly’s decision to remove Obasa as Speaker was within their constitutional rights.

“All members were elected from their various constituencies across the state, and we all have the inalienable rights under the necessary statutory orders to remove our principal officers, including the Speaker,” the statement stated.

The statement further described Obasa’s recent posture as “uncalled for and unparliamentary,” urging him to embrace peace in the interest of the state.

“I appeal to the former Speaker to toe the line of peace and harmony as being followed by others, as the current intransigent posture will heat the polity and not augur well.

“Any attempt to heat the polity will be resisted by the majority of distinguished members who unanimously elected Rt. Hon. Meranda,” the statement warned.

The lawmakers pledged their resolve to protect the assembly’s integrity and uphold peace across the state. “Peace, we want in Lagos, and peace we will achieve,” the statement concluded.

And in the same vein, a youth group, the Assembly of Lagos Youths, has condemned the statement by the former Speaker claiming he is still the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly notwithstanding his removal by 32 out of the 39 House members.

In a statement issued on Sunday, January 26, the convener of the group, Comrade Lasisi Robert, asserted that Obasa’s claim was a “careless statement” and insisted that his impeachment stands with no possibility of reversal.

“Mudashiru Obasa stands impeached and no going back. He is no longer the Speaker of Lagos State. He has never represented the interests of Lagos well,” the statement read.

The youth group described Obasa’s assertion as an “invitation to anarchy,” warning that his comments could incite unrest in the state.

“In a democracy, such a statement is purely an invitation to anarchy. Constitutionally, there is always a Speaker in the state, and for Obasa to have made such a claim is an intent to raise arms against the state,” the statement.

And continuing, the statement read: “In light of this, the Assembly of Lagos Youths called on the Executive Governor of Lagos State, as the Chief Security Officer, to strengthen security around the Lagos State House of Assembly to prevent potential chaos.

“The process of removing a Speaker of a House of Assembly in Nigeria is outlined in the Constitution. According to Section 92 of the Constitution, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly shall vacate his office if he ceases to be a member of the House of Assembly when the House first sits after any dissolution of the House, or if he is removed from office by a resolution of the House of Assembly by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the House.

“This means that to remove a Speaker, a resolution must be passed by at least two-thirds of the House members. In this instance 32 out of the 39 removed the speaker and fulfilled the two-third majority principle; RT honourable Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa stands impeached.”

Citing Section 92 of the Nigerian Constitution, the group emphasized that the Speaker of a House of Assembly can only be removed by a resolution passed by at least a two-thirds majority of the House members.

With 32 members voting in favour of Obasa’s impeachment, the constitutional requirement has been met, they said.

The group further alleged that Obasa’s remarks could lead to violence, claiming that “armed thugs, street urchins, cultists, and area boys” might attempt to forcefully escort him back to the Assembly on Monday, January 27, 2025.