Why federal government reinstated impeached Lagos Speaker

PREMIUM TIMES has confirmed that the Nigerian government facilitated Mudashiru Obasa’s return to office as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday.

On 13 January, Mr Obasa was impeached by a two-thirds majority of the House members while he was on holiday in the United States, ending his decade-long hold on the office. The members cited alleged high-handedness and financial misappropriation for his removal and promptly elected Mojisola Meranda as their new Speaker.

However, Mr Obasa rejected his removal, saying it did not follow the procedures of the legislative assembly. He immediately headed to court to seek redress.

At its last sitting on 13 February, the members passed a vote of confidence in the new Speaker, who was under pressure from some party leaders to resign and adjourned their sitting indefinitely.

On Thursday, Mr Obasa led a crowd of his supporters to take over the assembly complex, where he announced that he had reclaimed his seat. He later presided over a plenary attended by four other members.

His dramatic return began early in the day when the security authorities withdrew Mrs Meranda’s security details and restored them to Mr Obasa.

A top security official told PREMIUM TIMES that the federal government had authorised the development.

“Obasa was not properly impeached as Speaker, so his removal is illegal,” the source said, describing his comment as reflecting the federal government’s view on the matter. “The government cannot support illegality.”

He said the members levelled criminal allegations against Mr Obasa as the grounds for his impeachment but they did not allow him to defend himself.

Reminded that Mr Obasa had taken his case to court and that there had been no judicial pronouncement on the matter, the official said the government did not have to wait for the court to tell it to act on what it believes was a violation of the law.

“Remember too that the House was not properly convened for the session where it purportedly impeached the Speaker. The House was on Recess, and only the legitimate Speaker could reconvene it,” the source argued.

President Bola Tinubu has been heavily speculated to have been angered by Mr Obasa’s impeachment, as the lawmakers reportedly did not consult party leaders in the state before taking the step.

READ ALSO: I’m back as Speaker, Obasa boasts at Lagos Assembly complex

The influential Governor’s Advisory Council of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state reportedly intervened and tried to persuade Mr Tinubu to accept the change as the will of most lawmakers, but the president reportedly denied audience to a delegation the group sent to him in Abuja.

A committee of party elders, including former Osun and Ogun governors, Bisi Akande and Olusegun Osoba, reportedly urged Mrs Meranda to step down.

The presidency and the APC are yet to speak on the development.