The impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has dismissed his impeachment, insisting that he remains the rightful leader of the House.
Addressing supporters from Agege, Alimosho, and Kosofe local government areas at a welcome event in Ikeja GRA on Saturday, January 25, Obasa refuted allegations of financial mismanagement leveled against him by fellow lawmakers.
The embattled lawmaker criticized the impeachment process, claiming it was conducted improperly while he was out of the country. He urged his colleagues to present concrete evidence to support their claims.
“Allegations Against Me Are Baseless”
Obasa questioned the credibility of the allegations, including claims that the House spent ₦16 billion on a gate and purchased 40 Hilux vehicles at ₦1 billion each.
“Is it possible to construct an ordinary gate with ₦16 billion? It is not the wall of Jericho or the wall that demarcated the United States and Mexico,” he remarked.
He also challenged the claim that ₦200 million was spent on a Thanksgiving event, urging a comparison with similar expenditures by the state government.
Obasa maintained that he had done nothing wrong and emphasized his long-standing political career.
“I have been a lawmaker for over two decades and the longest-serving member of the House. If they want to remove me, they should do it the proper way, and I will not contest it.”
He accused his colleagues of orchestrating his removal in his absence and recalled past leadership changes in the House, stating that previous impeachments were handled without involving security forces.
“When former Speaker Rt. Hon. Jokotola Pelumi was removed, he was in the Assembly, and we did not invite policemen. The same happened with my sister, former Deputy Speaker Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho.”
Despite the crisis, Obasa reaffirmed his commitment to the progress of Lagos and expressed gratitude to the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“Lagos is a special place; we must not denigrate the state. I believe in the image of our institution; we must not destroy it, and I will never partake in its destruction.”