I See Sanwo-Olu’s Hand In Obasa’s Impeachment, Says Tinubu – Report

 

President Bola Tinubu has disclosed that he stepped in to facilitate the reinstatement of Mudashiru Obasa as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly after detecting the influence of the state executive, led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in Obasa’s impeachment, SaharaReporters reports.

According to sources present at the meeting Tinubu held with state lawmakers on Wednesday, the President expressed concern over Sanwo-Olu’s level of influence, stating that it was troubling for the governor to wield such power and that he had a vested interest in who became the Speaker of the Assembly.

Tinubu met behind closed doors with Speaker Obasa, Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda, and other Lagos State lawmakers at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.

The meeting was held to address the leadership crisis within the Lagos State House of Assembly.

“At the meeting, President Tinubu explained that the reason why Obasa escaped the impeachment was because he saw the indelible fingerprints of the Lagos executive led by Sanwo-Olu in the Speaker’s removal, and he found it unsettling why the executive would be interested in who should emerge as the Speaker,” a source familiar with the events at the meeting stated.

The lawmakers arrived at the Presidential Villa before 3:00 PM on Wednesday and were promptly escorted into the President’s office complex by security operatives.

Notably, Obasa, whose controversial reinstatement had deepened divisions within the Assembly, arrived separately around 3:00 PM.

The high-stakes meeting followed Tinubu’s decision to arrange a chartered flight to transport all Lagos Assembly members to Abuja in a bid to resolve the escalating political turmoil.

The crisis, which erupted after the impeachment of Obasa on January 13 over allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement, has rocked Lagos politics.

Lawmakers had initially celebrated his removal as a victory for accountability, but behind-the-scenes pressure from APC leaders—backed by Tinubu—led to his controversial reinstatement.

Meranda, who was briefly installed as Speaker following Obasa’s ouster, was forced to step down under pressure from party bigwigs, reportedly as part of a deal to maintain party unity.

She was later compensated with the Deputy Speaker position, but many lawmakers remain furious over what they see as Tinubu’s high-handed interference.

It was gathered that Tinubu lambasted Obasa for arriving late to the meeting.

“The Speaker was lambasted for coming late as always. The President spent the first 10 minutes to dress him down,” a source revealed.

Tinubu’s Resolutions

After hearing both sides—Obasa and the lawmakers opposing his return as Speaker—Tinubu urged the lawmakers to allow Obasa to retain his position.

He also instructed Obasa to withdraw his court cases challenging his removal.

“The President pleaded that we should allow the Speaker to return as the Speaker. And he directed the Speaker (Obasa) to go and withdraw his legal applications from the court,” a source said.

It was also gathered  that Tinubu decided that the current principal officers and committee chairmen should remain in their positions.

“But regarding the issue of the clerk, after a heated debate in the presence of President Tinubu, he asked the lawmakers to allow the court to resolve it since the matter is already in court,” a source said.

“The Speaker wants the former clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, while all the other lawmakers want the current clerk, Taiwo Ottun, to remain as the clerk.”

(Sahara Reporters)

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