Obasa’s removal: Sanwo-Olu, GAC, lawmakers in closed door meeting
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of the State House of Assembly and Governance Advisory Council held a closed door marathon meeting on Monday that lasted for hours.
Daily Champion could not independently confirm if the embattled former Speaker, Hon Mudashiru Obasa attended the meeting.
Although, the agenda of the meeting was not made public, the development over Obasa’s removal would invariably be part of the issue to be addressed.
Since Obasa’s removal on January 13, by 32 members of the House, it had generated political tensions which sparked significant controversy in the Lagos State political landscape.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had on Thursday, January 30, 2025, waded over an alleged petition filed by Obasa concerning his removal as Speaker on January 13.
The DSS investigation followed Obasa’s alleged claims that his ousting was politically motivated and involved misconduct, abuse of office, and financial mismanagement.
Despite the lengthy questioning, all the detained lawmakers were released late Thursday evening, around 7 pm.
After their release, the lawmakers chose not to provide any details about the nature of the questioning or the petition itself.
Instead, they described the encounter with the DSS as a “friendly visit” and indicated that the issue would be formally addressed in due course on the floor of the House.
Obasa, who had been Speaker since 2015, was removed by a majority vote of the lawmakers on January 13, 2025, amid serious allegations of misconduct.
His removal came during a period when he was absent from Nigeria, having traveled to the United States.
Upon his return to Lagos, Obasa strongly rejected the corruption allegations leveled against him and criticized the process that led to his ouster.
He urged the lawmakers to follow the “right process” in addressing his removal, while maintaining that he had been unfairly targeted.
On Sunday 2nd, there was an online report that claimed President Bola Tinubu had ordered Obasa’s reinstatement which Hon Stephen Ogundipe had debunked.
State House’s correspondents who were on ground at Marina to witness the proceedings were turned back. Officials explained that the meeting would be closed door.
