Not many people knew that the ousted Speaker of Lagos state House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa saw the fate that befell him coming.
Last November The Source magazine had exclusively reported the grim fate that awaited him should he continue with his governorship ambition in utter disregard to the instructions to him by entrenched interests who pull the levers of politics in Lagos state to bury the ambition. The said interests are said to be, allegedly, positioning Seyi Tinubu, first son of Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, to succeed the incumbent Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. President Tinubu himself was Lagos state Governor for two terms, 1999 to 2007.
The magazine, quoting impeccable sources, had further reported that Obasa would be disgraced with impeachment if he carried on with his guber ambition. Less than two months after the Magazine’s exclusive report, Obasa fell from grace.
Seyi Tinubu: Obasa’s fall linked to his alleged Lagos guber ambition
On Monday, the 13th of January, 2025, Nigerians, especially Lagos residents were jolted by a mid-noon screaming breaking news on TV screens and various social media platforms announcing the impeachment of Obasa. He was Nigeria’s longest reigning Speaker having piloted the affairs of the House for 10 years, 2015-2025. Obasa was immediately replaced with Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda representing Apapa state constituency 1.She made history as Lagos’ first female Speaker.
While Obasa’s colleagues who impeached him cited misuse of public funds, corruption and high-handedness as reasons for his ouster, political analysts insist he was consumed by his governorship ambition.
However, this magazine can authoritatively report that the impeached Speaker was offered a number of lifelines to escape a disgraceful impeachment but he spurned all, an intransigence that infuriated the above mentioned interests who immediately ordered his removal.
A source conversant with the political intrigues that consumed Obasa told the Magazine that “he (Obasa) would have still either remained Speaker or had an honourable exit if he had accepted the lifelines offered to him in the form of soft landing”.
This magazine was told that as conditions to remain Speaker, Obasa was asked to publicly renounce his gubernatorial ambition or outrightly deny ever nursing such ambition. He was also, allegedly, equally asked to publicly endorse Seyi’s ambition.
The magazine was further informed that Obasa was also given the option of resigning his position as Speaker in exchange for a juicy federal appointment with the possibility of either emerging a Senator or Seyi’s running mate in 2027 if he considered pulling out of the race and publicly endorsing Seyi, a public humiliation.
Unconfirmed souces allege that the impeached Speaker was pointedly told that if he rejects the conditions, he would be impeached after which his corruption case pending before the EFCC will be resurrected.
However, furious Obasa was said to have rejected the lifeline and soft landing options extended to him and vowed to pursue his ambition to a logical conclusion, this thus set the stage for his swift impeachment by his colleagues who had less than three weeks earlier passed a vote of confidence on him.
Governor Samwo-Olu: Who succeeds him?
The source magazine’s exclusive report that had foretold Obasa’s fall reads in part: “According to multiple sources within the Lagos APC and national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Obasa’s continued intransigence may cost him his exalted Speaker position.
“He will continue to be engaged him and given him reasons why he should bury his governorship ambition but if he carries on, of course, there will be consequences and one of them is losing his position as Speaker”, one of the sources revealed.
“His corruption case with the EFCC, another source hinted, may also be resurrected. The anti-corrupt Agency had September last year (2023), without stating any reason, dramatically withdrew an alleged money laundering suit it had instituted against the Speaker and unfreezed his account it had secured a court order in 2020 to freeze.
“Recall that the EFCC had in October 2020 took the Speaker into its custody in response to corruption allegations against him”
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Power is truly transient