Ex-speaker’s sack, planned reinstatement on the agenda
As the crisis rocking the polity in Lagos State continues unabated, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of the State House of Assembly were summoned before Governance Advisory Council, the highest political organ in the to settle the rift.
At a meeting held at the Lagos House, Marina under closed doors, THISDAY gathered that embattled former Speaker, Hon Mudashiru Obasa was invited to the meeting, but it could not be confirmed if he attended.
Although, the agenda of the meeting was not made public, the development over Obasa’s removal and rumoured reinstatement is said to be part of the issues being addressed.
Since Obasa’s removal on January 13, by 32 members of the House, it had generated political tensions which sparked significant controversy in the Lagos State political landscape.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had on Thursday, January 30, 2025, waded over an alleged petition filed by Obasa concerning his removal as Speaker on January 13.
The DSS investigation followed Obasa’s alleged claims that his ousting was politically motivated and involved misconduct, abuse of office, and financial mismanagement.
Despite the lengthy questioning, all the detained lawmakers were released late Thursday evening, around 7 pm.
Obasa, who had been Speaker since 2015, was removed by a majority vote of the lawmakers on January 13, 2025, amid serious allegations of misconduct.
His removal came during a period when he was absent from Nigeria, having traveled to the United States.
Upon his return to Lagos, Obasa strongly rejected the corruption allegations leveled against him and criticized the process that led to his ouster.
He urged the lawmakers to follow the “right process” in addressing his removal, while maintaining that he had been unfairly targeted.
On Sunday 2nd, there was an online report that claimed President Bola Tinubu had ordered Obasa’s reinstatement which Hon Stephen Ogundipe had debunked.
