
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have impeached Speaker Mudasiru Obasa on Monday over allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office and misappropriation of funds.

Obasa, who is currently in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States, was replaced by his deputy, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1. Meranda, a former Chief Whip of the House, is now the new Speaker. In a subsequent reshuffle, Hon. Fatai Mojeed was elected as the new Deputy Speaker.
The move comes just days after a report detailing Obasa’s role in authorising the withdrawal of N43.5 billion for the purchase of backup vehicles for lawmakers, among other controversial financial activities circulated.
The NewsMatrics reports that Obasa had come under increased scrutiny by lawmakers and was asked to account N44 billion budgeted for the purchase of vehicles and other items in the last two years.
The demand followed the compilation of a document detailing the allocation and failure of the Speaker to use the money as approved.
According to document, the N44 billion allegedly mismanaged by Obasa was allocated for vehicles and capital projects over two years.
In 2023, N30.19 billion was allocated for vehicles, including official cars, utility buses, and backup vehicles.
Another N13.33 billion was earmarked for vehicles in 2024.
However, vehicles were not purchased in 2023, with a small fraction of the 2024 allocation accounted for.
According to the document that had been submitted for the questioning of Obasa to the assembly, the Speaker also allocated funds for projects deemed questionable.
Among these questionable projects are:
N1.1 billion for properties in 2023, N126 million in 2024 for properties in Abuja, and N15.65 billion for office construction in 2023 and 2024.
Obasa’s leadership had faced growing resistance from within the Assembly.
New lawmakers who were voted into the assembly in 2023 along with some older members have challenged his financial decisions and demanded greater transparency.
Sources revealed that Obasa’s alleged divide-and-rule tactics began to backfire as his critics gained momentum.
Speaking on the impeachment, a lawmaker stated, “It is only death that is constant, so change is inevitable. Members of the parliament today have decided to change the leadership of the House. The Constitution makes it clear that the House has the power to regulate its proceedings.
“The members of the House felt we had had enough of the leadership of Mudashiru Obasa. We unanimously agreed that Hon. Mojisola Meranda would become the new Speaker and Hon. Fatai Adebola would be the Deputy Speaker. It was a resolution concurred by all members of the parliament. As we speak, all principal positions and standing committees of the House have been dissolved.
“The House has resolved to work together to move the parliament to the next level. We cannot sit back and watch the parliament fall into ruin. We owe our constituencies and Lagos State the duty of restoring the sanity and integrity of this House. That is why we have taken this action—to save our image and our state.”
TheNewsMatrics reports that Obasa’s downfall was imminent when he ran into trouble with President Bola Tinubu and All Progressives Congress top leaders for spearheading the passage of a law that would give the Assembly powers to appoint administrative secretaries for the 37 Local Council Development Areas instead of elected officials.
Tinubu had upbraided the former speaker at meeting held during the president’s Christmas break in Lagos for failing to cooperate with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and attempting to derail local government reforms in Lagos.
The move was seen as an attempt to hijack local government structures in furtherance of his ambition to become the governor of Lagos State in 2027.