Mudashiru Obasa: A Guinea Pig of History?

From the show of shame that played out during the 2025 budget presentation by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, it was not hard to tell that the days of the former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, was numbered. Shola Oyeyipo writes

Indeed, those who fail to learn from history always end up offering themselves as the guinea pig of a repeat history. All the signs were there that the former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, was driving above the specified speed limit for the period he held sway.

He not only forgot hierarchy, party discipline and political leadership, he had started to think himself an institution, such that he was suddenly dubbed an emperor, who once walked out on the political leaders in the state.

True to his reign, he had absolute control of the assembly and treated his colleagues whichever he deemed fit, often as though they were lesser representatives of their own constituents.

Some even insinuated his subduing control was beyond the ordinary. While that might seem a bit an exaggeration, that he was totally in charge was not subject to debate.

Indications that trouble might be lurking in the corner for Obasa started to manifest when some of the leaders of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), met with President Bola Tinubu in December last year and upbraided the speaker for alleged insubordination to the authorities in the state.

Chairman of GAC, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, had reportedly told the president, at a meeting of a select few that, he wanted to give him a situation report on the state of play in the state.

The old man, who allegedly reminded the president of how highly the governor’s office was held in the state, when he was governor between 1999 and 2007, reportedly told the president that the disrespect that Sanwo-Olu had suffered in the hands of the former speaker was no longer acceptable.

He, according to sources privy to the meeting, went on to reel off instances, which they considered disrespectful, including the one they have had to physically intervene and reprimand the speaker for.

Finally, when Tinubu spoke, he was said to have shownobvious disdain over the alleged report by the GAC leadership on the speaker and went on to openly lash him for not just disrespecting the governor and his office, but also for poorly managing the politics of the state as partner.

According to a presidency source, who hinted at the development to THISDAY, and commended the president for stepping into the Lagos political situation, Tinubu allegedly cited the case of a bill being put forward by the assembly to enable them sack the chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

He said the president scoffed at what he called a huge joke, presided over by the speaker, and added that: “Which governor will sign such a bill into law, anyway.”

At the end, they warned Obasa, against further disrespecting Sanwo-Olu, and the office of the governor under whatever guise. But the damage had been done and the resolve to get rid of him had also been concluded.

But a precursor to this was the show of shame at the hollowed chamber of the state assembly, last year. Obasa turned what was meant to be a gathering for intellectual engagement into a bitter political exchange, not minding the bigger implication for Lagos.

The former speaker seized the occasion of the 2025 budget presentation by Sanwo-Olu to address some of his political concerns – majorly personal. But his immaturity was quickly pointed out, especially as it concerned the good of the state.

Even when the errors were pointed out to him, by those who meant well, and condemned him for doing injustice to Lagos, he still went on to do a rejoinder, justifying his infantile embrace.

Hear him: “Those who block the pathway of water must contend with the consequences of blockages because Water will always find its course.

“When a pathway for free and unhindered communication is obstructed, consequences are inevitable. This aptly describes the events during Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s budget presentation last Thursday at the Lagos Assembly.

“If the Speaker hadn’t seized the opportunity of the occasion to voice out his concerns, after agonising months of silenced and blocked communication channels, I wondered when that would be, given the overpowering impulse of the Executive to muscle up the people’s parliament.

“The lack of harmonious dialogue between the Executive and the Legislature stems from the governor’s autocratic tendencies. By blocking communication, he forced the Speaker to express his frustrations publicly.

“Until recently, there used to be a collaborative channel between the Executive and the Legislature to sustain governance rooted in mutual respect and cooperation between the two arms,” he said.

To file this away, is to understand that the charade was an orchestration to embarrass the governor and the state by an inane few. For a speaker, who got what he wanted from the governor at any time, the assertions in his statement belied simple logic.

One of the very interesting slants to his approach to the battle he chose to do with himself was both the veiled and overt threat he was quick to issue, supposedly to the governor.

The independence of the different arms of government notwithstanding, his lack of wisdom to understand his place in the power equation was a bunch of concern.

However, yesterday, all of that came to an abrupt end, when members of the state assembly impeached Obasa.

According to them, they’ve had enough of the former speaker and wanted to try someone else. After all, they acted within their constitutional rights.

The impeachment of the longest serving Speaker of the House, who was elected in 2015, happened during an emergency Plenary over alleged misappropriation of funds and lack of transparency in the management of the Assembly.

The motion to remove him was moved under the Matter of Urgent Public Importance by Hon. Femi Saheed.

He said, in line with provision of section 92(2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Obasa was accused of Gross Misconduct and poor Leadership, which included perpetual lateness to Legislative sections and meetings.

He also cited high-handedness and Lack of regard tohonourable members, gross abuse of office and privileges,intimidation and oppression of honourable members by inciting members against one another, amongst others.

Saheed mentioned that Obasa also “practices an authoritarian and undemocratic leadership style in discharging his duties,” and therefore moved the motion for impeachment.

Following the adoption of the motion, the impeachment was made possible by 32 of the 40 members through a voice vote.

For Obasa, however, his impeachment might as well be the beginning of his many battles of survival ahead of 2027. Already, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is allegedly involved in his matter, albeit for the second time.

With a discovery of almost 70 bank accounts linked to him, some of them bearing other names but connected to him via the Bank Verification Number and his picture, another phase of his battle might open soon, engaging him till the end of next general election.

Interestingly, and in spite of his needless battle with Sanwo-Olu, inside sources claimed the governor had no hand in his impeachment, but an orchestration from higher authorities in the state, which might not be unconnected to the GAC.

A source hinted that had the governor gotten a wind of the move, he might have stepped in, the same way Obasa who was in faraway Atlanta, the United States, was made to believe the impeachment would hold on Thursday, prompting him to set out to return to Nigeria with a view to thwarting it.

But those in charge of the machinations did that, knowing there were moles who might leak the move and true to their prediction, they ate the bait and informed him. But it was too late as the news of his impeachment got to him while journeying back home.

Perhaps, Obasa and his ilk would learn from this experience (since he failed to learn from his predecessors) and do better when other opportunities avail themselves.

But this huge opportunity that he’s had for over 11 years, he has lost for good and may never come close to anything like it again in his political career in the state.