How Epe Powerbrokers Silenced Obasa 

Kunle Awosiyan

The impeachment of the speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa may not be unconnected with the powerbrokers from Epe Division.

These powerbrokers thought it is the turn of the division to produce the next state governor and must stop the plan of Obasa earlier.

Echonews authoritatively gathered that the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and a prominent member of the assembly. Hon. Abiodun Tobun representing Epe constituency 1, masterminded the removal of Obasa.

They waited for the right time to strike and capitalised on the alleged excesses of the former speaker to nail him.

Obasa had thrown caution to the wind as soon as he became speaker at the expense of Tobun who also aspired for the position in 2023. “”As a sitting speaker, he is uncontrollably eyeing the governor’s seat in 2027. He is not hiding it,”” a source close to Tobun said.

Sensing that Hamzat also has governorship ambition, Obasa chose to disrespect the deputy governor at every opportunity he has to do so. During the 2024 budget presentation, Obasa publicly summoned and humiliated Deputy Governor Hamzat, delivering a veiled warning: “Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” He followed this with a proverb, saying, “The god of iron recognises the swift ones. Anyone planning to interfere in this House should prepare for the same fate.”

According to findings, Hamzat, having come from Epe was among those that backed Tobun against Obasa ahead of the election of house speakership in 2023.

Obasa may have had a cold relationship with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2023 and 2024 over commissioner nominees, it was gathered that out of the 16 rejected by the house, three of them were from Epe Division and it was deliberate to frustrate Tobun and Hamzat.

Recall that there were four lawmakers who also eyed the Lagos speakership seat in 2023 but Tobun was the boldest to announce his ambition at an induction ceremony held for the lawmakers in Ikeja.

He told his colleagues at the gathering that he would be contesting for the speakership position, which looked almost a no-go-area for any of the aspiring lawmakers.

Tobun is one of the longest serving members of the assembly as he returns for the fourth term and for him, Obasa should not continue as the speaker, having served two terms. Tobun;s argument never worked because he did not have the support of the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC.

Having crushed Tobun, the former speaker Obasa drew a battle line against Hamzat but the deputy governor approached Governor’s Advisory Council, urging the .elders to call the speaker to order over the use of derogatory words against the executive arm of the government.

Obasa is a member of GAC, according to a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress, Fouad Oki. He said that the speaker had been warned to stop running down the executive arm but instead of him to listen, he refused. He said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his capacity as the father of all, also tried to resolve the crisis in the assembly but the sacked speaker was not ready for peace.

Obasa’s cup was half-full during governor’s Sanwo-Olu presentation of the 2025 appropriation bill to the house. The speaker kept the governor, the deputy and GAC members on seat for hours before appearing late at the chamber for the ceremony.

“”That was when he shot himself down. The GAC members themselves were not happy with the behaviour. His conduct at the presentation confirmed the reports from Hamzat and Tobun about his highhandedness. They also watched Obasa’s statement and listened to his speech with rapt attention,”” the source said.

In his speech, Obasa had emphasised on swiftness in the present political calculation ahead of 2027, describing it Yoruba language. “”Eni ba yara logun n gbe””.

As he put it, “” I have made it a personal task to mobilise people on the platform of Mandate, which has been misconstrued by some political detractors as being selfish aspiration on the ground for me to become governor of the state. There is the need, however, to correct this wrong impression. My concern is about building our party, and whatever we do is mainly for this cause.

Not hiding his governorship ambition even in the presence of GAC and the governor, Obasa described as blackmailers those on the mission to distort and redefine his mission.

He said, “” Let me state it unequivocally here, our intention is promote our party on the platform of Mandate. Also, becoming governor is secondary; it is something that I have not given a serious consideration. Nevertheless, that does not mean I am too young or lack experience to run; whereas, those who have been before me are not better of.

He continued, “” it is also important to correct the impression from some naysayers who have been insinuating that I made payment to seek for blood relation in Ojoo to validate my candidacy to run as governor. Of course, I have never denied the fact that I am OBASA. But rather, I have never claimed to be related to Onikoyi, Oniru, or any of the other popular Lagos families as the case may be. I can indeed never run from the fact that I am related to my Obasa family in Ojoo. But I do not need local validity to contest or run. If eventually I am contesting, I will do so from Agege!

After the budget presentation ceremony, GAC changed its position, having read in between the line, the plan of Obasa. It was gathered that they invited Obasa, Hamzat and a few strong members of the house, including Tobun but the former speaker was not around. He left the country.

At the meeting, Tobun presented various petitions sent by stakeholders over Obasa’s alleged financial recklessness but instead of the former speaker to defend himself, he tagged the petitioners as blackmailers.

The plot to impeach Obasa thickened and on Monday January 13, 2025, he was impeached by 34 out of the 40 members of the house.

Reacting to his impeachment, Tobun said members of the parliament in the state sacked Obasa to uphold the “sanctity” and “integrity” of the House.

According to him, the decision to impeach Obasa was unanimously agreed by lawmakers in the 40-member Assembly.

“The Constitution makes it clear that the House has the powers to regulate its proceedings. So, the members of the House felt that they’ve had enough of the Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa and we have unanimously agreed that Rt Hon Mojisola Meranda Lasbat become the new Speaker of the House.

“So, it was a resolution concurred to by all members of the parliament and so be it. We cannot open our House and allow this parliament to dwindle. We owe our constituents a duty and we owe Lagos State a duty of ensuring that the sanctity of the House and the integrity of this House are restored.”

Obasa’s deputy, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, was immediately elected the new Speaker, becoming the first female to take charge of the legislative body in the South-West state.

Among the reasons for his impeachment include is the alleged N17bn gate scandal at the Lagos Assembly complex. While he denied the accusations, he never disclosed the actual cost of the controversial project. Critics questioned the necessity of the gate, especially since the Assembly already had three gates. Allegations also surfaced about ₦200 million being spent on a thanksgiving event that never took place, further tarnishing his reputation.

Another offence is his attempt to abrogate 37 Local Council Development Areas in what what many saw as a miscalculated political move,

Obasa was also accused of financial mismanagement involving ₦44 billion allocated for vehicles and capital projects over two years. This development has generated concerns and raised questions about transparency and accountability in the Assembly’s financial operations from critics, including lawmakers and residents.