President Tinubu reportedly orders reinstatement of Obasa as Lagos Speaker

By OUR REPORTER, Abuja

“If the former speaker, Mr. Obasa returns Lagosians should protest. This is a big lesson to every Lagosian, particularly Omo IBILE Eko. It may not be too late for the craftsman when nemesis could catch up with him with all the arrays of unknown infractions that could confront him in the power game,” an Abuja-based source familiar with Lagos politics since 1999 reacted in simple words.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly put pressure on members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to reinstate Mudashiru Ajaiyi Obasa, who was recently removed as Speaker of the state Assembly.

This was according to a report on Sunday February 2, 2025 by Abuja-based online newspaper, the People’s Gazette.

The report said people familiar with the development revealed that it was coming three weeks after an impeachment that sent shockwaves through the nation’s commercial nerve centre.

Tinubu, the media report further revealed, gave the order at the weekend saying the lawmakers should be prepared to let Obasa, despite his weighty allegations of corruption and abuse of power, return because the political price for his removal could potentially outweigh the benefits of punishing his excesses.

All the 40-member legislature, but two who are opposition lawmakers, are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The president has sent instruction that we should start preparing to let him come back,” a senior Lagos politician who participated in a series of meetings this weekend said. “The president said Obasa will spend only a short time before resigning on his terms.

“We have agreed to let him come back to give him a soft landing that he told us he deserved because of the serious political consequences of allowing this matter to endure,” the politician said anonymously to discuss the minutiae of internal political deliberations. “I would do it differently if you asked me to be the ultimate decision-maker in this matter,” the source reportedly said.

However, some lawmakers said his return would be difficult for those who participated in his impeachment, especially those who circulated copies of media report that preceded the removal, according to the report.

“We’re afraid that bringing him back will be like trying to pacify a snake after its head was severed,” a source said, adding that, “Its venom will be super deadly.”

Another senior political operative in Lagos, according to the online newspaper, said the president had summoned a meeting in Abuja on Monday, where those not already onboard would be exhorted.

“Many of us have agreed that he should be allowed to return because we can only see the beginning of this fight but not how it may end,” the politician said.

He added that, “The meeting is scheduled for Monday, and some of us still in Lagos are already preparing to leave for Abuja.”

The DEFENDER recalls that Mudashiru Obasa was, on January 13, removed as Speaker after lawmakers learned, through an investigated report of the People’s Gazette, which alleged that he had looted billions in procurement allocations for vehicles and other items they did not receive.

Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, his deputy, was immediately named as his replacement.

Officials of the House of Assembly, however, said the new Speaker had seemingly allowed Obasa to intimidate her in her new role, even though she had the backing of at least 32 out of the state’s 40 legislators.

Since January 13, when Meranda was inaugurated as Speaker, she has not been allowed to move into the official residence along Joel Ogunnaike, Ikeja G.R.A. as Obasa, who was in Atlanta, United States of America during his impeachment, went straight to the Speaker’s Lodge when he landed in Abuja and later triumphantly returned to Lagos.

Upon his return to the Speaker’s Lodge, he rejected his impeachment dismissing it as illegal and vowing that he remained the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly.

“He said they should let him enter the official lodge to remove his personal belongings. But he has refused to vacate the place, and Madam Speaker has been too afraid to take over from him,” said the official source.

It was unclear what influence Remi Tinubu had on her husband’s decision to push lawmakers to reinstate Mr Obasa, according to the report, as the order by the president was coming days after the People’s Gazette reported that the First Lady stopped the anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting the embattled lawmaker and that an investigation into his use of public funds in Lagos may proceed.

Tinubu’s move to reinstate Obasa should expand fissures within the Lagos political circles, but the president’s grip on the state’s politics meant no lawmaker would risk being seen as reluctant to follow his directive, a source said as reported by The Gazette.

“Look, some lawmakers are very angry that the president decided to humiliate them like this,” our source said. “But they don’t want to lead any resistance against the president, who is also the party’s leader.”

A presidential spokesman reportedly said Sunday morning that he was unaware of the president’s directive to Lagos lawmakers, even as Obasa and Meranda were also said to have declined to speak on the matter.

It was also said that Obasa met Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu in Marina on Saturday February 1, to finalise his return as Speaker, which may come as soon as next week. An aide to the governor confirmed the meeting without elaborating, the report said.

“If the former speaker, Mr. Obasa returns Lagosians should protest. This is a big lesson to every Lagosian, particularly Omo IBILE Eko. It may not be too late for the craftsman when nemesis could catch up with him with all the arrays of unknown infractions that could confront him in the power game,” an Abuja-based source familiar with Lagos politics since 1999 reacted in simple words.