•The Inside Story Revealed!
Over the last few months, there is one politician who has dominated the political scene in Lagos like a colossus. Everywhere you go to, he is being talked about. What people talk about is the enormous powers Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa wields.
Many are still amazed at the drama of how he was removed as Speaker when he was abroad in the US, came back, fought back, staged a coup and got back his seat, adjourned the sitting of the house and has locked up the Lagos State House of Assembly ever since. And like the popular joke in town, he is the only man who can lock up the House. And keep the keys until he is ready to make the house sit.
Since Obasa returned from his US triphe has continued to wield a lot of power and influence and no politician has been able to stand up to him, so far.
He enjoys the confidence and support of President Bola Tinubu who is the strongman of Lagos politics.
During the recent Abuja meeting between Tinubu, Obasa and the Lawmakers, the President told the Lawmakers to return Obasa back to saddle and let peace reign.
As you read this, peace has not returned to the House, as some of the members feel bitter and are still unhappy at the turn of events in the House.
The relationship between the Governor and the Speaker has also been at an all time low. Both are not on speaking terms. And we hear the Speaker is unhappy with the Governor over the alleged role that the Governor played. Sources say Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa believes the Governor was one of the those who gave the lawmakers the backing for his removal and he is eager to repay him back in his own coin.
There are rumours that some of those in the Speaker’s camp are behind the anti-Sanwo Olu forces, who have been making surreptitious moves to tackle the Governor.
Over the last few months many Lagosians have watched in a state of shock how all these drama has been unfolding on a daily basis.
Recall that he was in the US when he was impeached but the moment he returned to Lagos, he addressed his supporters and insisted that he remains the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
So drammatic is the situation that the DSS has been dragged into the matter. So also the Police.
The question on many lips is why the APC leaders in Lagos, have not been able to resolve the crisis, and why they allowed it degenerate into a full scale crisis.
Many have also wondered why Pres. Tinubu, did not stepped in on time. Lagos is his political base. And it is a well known fact that he is in firm control of the political situation in Lagos, especially as it concerns Lagos APC.
So, why didn’t he call both Obasa and the Lawmakers to order for weeks. Why did he leave the crisis to degenerate?
City People can authoritatively reveal that it is because the ranks of the APC leaders in Lagos State are divided. While some APC leaders were in support of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda & the Lawmakers who voted Obasa out, some other Lagos APC leaders are right behind Obasa. These are the leaders who Obasa has been loyal to.
We gathered that though Pres. Tinubu, did not initially support the removal of Obasa, his view is that Obasa having been a loyal party man over the years, be given soft landing.
The ranks of the Governance Advisory Council is also divided, some supported Rt. Hon. Meranda, whilst some others are for Obasa.
This explains why several party meetings that have been held over the last few months have failed.
There are obviously 2 camps.
There is the pro-Meranda camp who insist that Obasa was properly impeached and so the situation be left as it is.
There is also the pro-Obasa camp which insist that Obasa was not properly removed, because the lawmakers didn’t follow laid down procedures. Obasa himself says the House was on recess and not in session. He has gone to court to seek redress.
Insiders reveal that what has emboldened Obasa, is the tremendous support he is getting from the highest levels within the Lagos APC.
Some of them have advised him to fight back.
When Hon. Stephen Ogundipe led the pro-Meranda group to address the press, a few weeks back, he revealed how frustrated they were. He spoke about how the party leadership stepped in but was talking only to Obasa and not carrying them along. Questions have been raised regarding why Hon. Mudashiru Obasa’s case is proving difficult to resolve, especially for the APC’s apex group, known as the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), in the state. City People has learned that Obasa’s removal as Speaker divided the GAC into 2 factions: one supporting Obasa and the other backing the new Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Meranda.
In exploring the reasons why the GAC, regarded as the APC’s apex decision-making body in the state, has struggled to resolve the crisis, sources indicated that Hon. Obasa, who is affiliated with the Mandate Group of the APC in Lagos, is reluctant to allow his faction to falter easily. The two political groups in the state—the Justice Forum and the Mandate Group—are actively lobbying for more influential appointments. The Justice Forum, being the older of the two, feels sidelined and believes this is an opportunity to assert their political significance. Thus, what we are witnessing is a battle between the two groups over political influence and appointments.
Why is Obasa fighting back so strongly? We can tell you. A source revealed that Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa is fighting back strongly because he believes his impeachment as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly was unconstitutional. He claims that the process of his removal was flawed and that due process was not followed.
Obasa is particularly upset about the involvement of Police Officers in his impeachment, which he sees as an overreach of power. He’s also drawing attention to the fact that he was not present in the House when he was impeached, unlike in the cases of previous speakers who were removed while they were present.
Recall that Obasa was removed on 13th January 2025 by 32 out of the 40 lawmakers of the House. He was away in the US when he was removed.
Upon his return from vacation back to Lagos for the first time after his removal, the Lawmaker representing Agege Constituency 1 was welcomed by members and supporters of the APC including LG ward executives, members and stakeholders in Lagos politics.
The impeached Speaker declared that his impeachment was null and void and said that he remained the Speaker of the House, despite his removal by the Lawmakers.
Obasa says he is determined to clear his name and assert his rightful position as Speaker. He says he is not backing down and he is instead challenging the circmustances of his impeachment in court.
Why some of the Lagos APC leaders are supporting Obasa is because of the tremendous influence he wields in his Agege constituency and the larger area of Alimoso.
Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa’s base in Agege is extremely important to APC. It is also important to his political career. Though he has strong links with Abeokuta, he was born and raised in Agege. And over the years Obasa has built a strong political structure in the area, serving as a Councillor for Agege LG from 1999 to 2002. He has also represented Agege Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2007, winning re-election multiple times in 2011, 2025, 2019, and 2023.
City People has found out that his strong connection to Agege has contributed significantly to his political success, providing him with a fiercely loyal support base and enabling him to navigate through the complex landscape of Lagos politics.
Obasa’s ability to maintain the trust and loyalty of his contituents in Agege has been crucial to his phenomenal rise to prominence, including his tenure as Speaker of the Lagos State House ofc Assembly from 2021 to 2025.
Alimoso is another significant are of influence for Mudashiru Obasa. As a representative of Agege Constituency 1, Obasa’s legislative coverage extends to parts of Alimoso Local Government Area. Obasa has built a strong network of supporters in Alimoso which has contributed to his electoral success over the years.
As Speaker, Obasa has facilitated various development projects in Alimoso, such as road construction, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions, which has endeared him to the local population.
Obasa’s influence in Alimoso extends beyond his constituency, as he is recognised as a key political leader in that area.
He also has a strong Grassroot presence in Alimoso which has helped him maintain a strong hold which is essential for his political survival and success.
City People can authoritatively reveal that Alimoso is a vital area of influence for Obasa, providing him with a strong support base, electoral significance and political influence.
It is because of his political influence in this area that the APC leadership in Lagos is treading softly in the way the Obasa issue is handled, especially as they approach 2027.
We hear the Agege & Alimoso area are very key to the success of the APC in 2027 and right now the issue is a sensitive one because of the controversies surrounding the removal of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who wielded tremendous influence in Alimoso (as a leader) before he fell out with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
At the beginning of the crisis, Obasa did not enjoy the kind of support he now enjoys among the party leaders in APC. Initially, it looked as if Obasa did not appear to have the backing of the APC leaders.
The story then, was that Pres. Tinubu and many leaders tacitly endorsed Obasa’s removal as Speaker citing loss of confidence in his leadership.
So the decision to remove Obasa was made then, after a series of high-level meetings and the removal then was said to be irreversible.
Instead, he was said to have been given the option to resign voluntarily.
But all that has changed in recent times, as some party leaders seem to be solidly behind Obasa.
City People found out that months back, in the build up to his impeachment, many of the lawmakers, underrated the tremendous influence Obasa had.
As Speaker, Obasa held significant influence and power in Lagos politics.
He had Legislature influence, Budgetary control, appointment powers, networking and alliances and access to resources., so he can empower his constituents.
All of these has helped him now, as he fights back. As Speaker, Obasa presided over the Lagos State House of Assembly, influencing the passage of laws and policies in the state. He also played a key role in shaping the state’s budget, allocating funds to various sectors, and ensuring the implementation of the budget.
Obasa also had a say in the appointment of key officials in the state, including Commissioners, Special Adviser, and other top government functionaries.
His former position as Speaker enabled him build relationships with other politicians, business leaders, and stakeholders, further expanding his influence and reach. As Speaker he also had access to resources, including funding, personnel and infrastructure which he could utilize to achieve his goals and support his constitutents.
However, its essential to note that Obasa’s power and influence was not absolute. He operated within the framework of the Lagos State Government and the ruling party APC structures in the state.
In a recent interview on Channels Television, he emphasized the importance of his locality in state politics, stating they consistently deliver votes during elections. Political analysts suggest that this electoral strength is a key reason why party leaders are handling his case with care, considering his contributions to state politics. In the last governorship election, the APC secured 35,845 votes, while the closest opponent from the Labour Party garnered only 8,486 votes. Politics is a game of numbers.
A pressing question lingering among the public is whether President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aware of Hon. Mudashiru Obasa’s impeachment, or if it could have occurred without his full approval. A member of the State House of Assembly, who requested anonymity, informed us that the President was not fully aware of the plans for impeachment and did not approve it; however, the Governance Advisory Council was in the know. They assumed that they had a majority and that the President would ultimately have to accept the impeachment.
