By
Taoreed Abdullahi
The Lagos State House Assembly has been engulfed in a series of dramatic events since the removal of Chief Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker on January 13, 2025, and the subsequent election of Mrs. Mojisola Miranda as the new Speaker.
The impeachment motion was introduced under Matters of Urgent Public Importance by Mr Femi Saheed, who cited allegations of financial misconduct, abuse of office, and authoritarian leadership against Chief Obasa. The motion was unanimously adopted by thirty-two out of forty members of the House, leading to Obasa’s removal.
Obasa, who had served as Speaker since 2015, had a tenure marked by controversies, including accusations of high-handedness and the misuse of public funds. Recently, reports surfaced claiming he approved the withdrawal of ₦43 billion for lawmakers’ vehicles, a move that caused dissatisfaction among his colleagues and party leaders.
On January 25, 2025, Obasa declared that his removal from office was invalid. This marked his first public statement upon returning to Lagos after a trip abroad. He asserted that the impeachment conducted by the Assembly, which used a ‘fake’ mace, could not be upheld.
Speaking to supporters at his former official residence in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, Obasa dismissed the allegations against him and emphasized that he remains the Speaker of the House until the proper procedures are followed. He also refuted the accusations of financial impropriety made against him.
A month after Obasa’s removal as Speaker, tensions rose at the Lagos State House of Assembly on February 13, 2024, when officers from the Directorate of the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the Assembly. Their presence was initially intended to provide security to the lawmakers but was perceived as an attempt to block lawmakers and staff from entering the assembly.
The lawmakers condemned this action and passed a vote of confidence for Speaker Mojisola Miranda amid cheers and chants of solidarity from House staff. The DSS later explained its rationale for intervening, but some assembly staff members were arrested and subsequently charged in court.
On February 27, the former Speaker, Chief Mudashiru Obasa, entered the Assembly premises in Alausa, Ikeja, accompanied by armed policemen and members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. Meanwhile, non-state actors were stationed around the premises. Obasa claimed he was resuming his position as Speaker after reports suggested that the security detail of Speaker Miranda had been withdrawn. It was reported that Obasa held proceedings with three other lawmakers in the chamber, while the majority of lawmakers loyal to the substantive Speaker, Mrs. Mojisola Miranda, rejected Obasa’s return, asserting that their decision stood.
In a media briefing at the Assembly premises, lawmakers led by Mr Stephen Ogundipe, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, described the former Speaker’s actions as an embarrassment to the House.
Out of the forty lawmakers in the assembly, thirty-nine are from the All Progressives Congress (APC) while one is from the Labour Party.
Many Nigerians are left wondering: what is wrong with the lawmakers? Is the party in disarray? After all, everyone claims to follow the same leader, founder, and father of the party they represent, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. A Yoruba adage says, “Agba ki wa loja kori omo tuntun ko wo,” meaning “The elders must be present in the market to teach the youth.” Leaders of the party should take the path of peace, any breakdown of law and order may cause unexpected. Nobody is safe as it or should we categorize the situation in the Lagos State House of Assembly with the saying, “bi nani nani ba nani, ti gbani gbani o gbani, a je wipe gbani gbani loni ki noni noni ma nani,” which loosely translates to “It will be a case of the bitter and the rescuer”? The party leaders should be in the right position to caution those who beat the drum of war. The twist of the situation is sliding towards anarchy.
It is high time the party leaders take decisive action to resolve these issues amicably to prevent endangering the democracy they claim to champion. The Lagos Assembly is a model for other state assemblies, but the recent disagreements and crises reflect poorly on the House.
The party leader in Lagos cannot claim ignorance of these developments. In one online video, lawmakers from the state Assembly met with party leadership, including Chairman Pastor Cornelius
Ojelabi. If members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) appear divided on the matter, with some supporting the immediate past Speaker and others backing Speaker Miranda, it raises questions. Reports also indicate that APC leaders, including the former national chairman and former governors, have met with President Bola Tinubu to discuss the issue. However, credible information is scarce, and communication with the public is lacking; everyone seems to promote narratives that serve their interests.
The leaders of the party in Lagos State must set aside their differences and focus on delivering more benefits to the people. The lawmakers represent their constituencies, and the majority of the members of the assembly have chosen a specific path. The party should consider their perspectives to avoid the situation where “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” Four cannot be greater than thirty-six. These lawmakers have matured enough to differentiate between wants and demands, which is essential for fostering harmonious relationships.
Currently, Lagos State Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu needs to stay vigilant and diplomatically mediate to ensure smooth governance, or he may face a tumultuous administration. With local government elections approaching, some have speculated that this election may have sparked the ongoing crisis, as there is a struggle for supremacy regarding who will succeed whom. Governance must continue, but it cannot thrive in an environment of constant conflict. The governor has shown maturity, but the situation should not spiral out of control. He has to speak with party leaders and lawmakers to come to the negotiating table and reach an agreement.
It would be honourable for Chief Mudasiru Obasa to stop creating tension in the political arena. The lawmakers have expressed their views and are standing firm in their decision. If he feels wronged by the process, he should seek clarification from the court rather than performing theatrics in the assembly. It is clear that his time as the leader of the house has come to an end.
To our security agencies, you have shown professionalism and dedication to maintaining peace. It is essential to remain apolitical in this matter; please do not allow politicians to use the respected security forces to incite tension and create divisions among lawmakers. The international community is watching us closely.
