Obasa Insists on Due Process for Removal, Defies Impeachment

Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has firmly stated that his removal must be carried out according to due process, just as he was appointed. Obasa, who has refused to accept his impeachment, made this declaration during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday evening. His remarks came just hours after he stormed the Assembly complex, declared himself the Speaker, and presided over a controversial plenary attended by only four lawmakers.

In the interview, Obasa argued that while he wasn’t opposed to being removed, the process must follow the rules established by the House. He explained, “We were on recess when a motion was moved by the Majority Leader to adjourn until February 18, which was seconded. After that, I traveled on an official trip to the U.S. Congress and had another scheduled engagement in Canada.”

He pointed out that according to the House’s rules, only the Speaker can reconvene a sitting, and the Majority Leader, Clerk, and Speaker must be involved in this process. Obasa insisted that since this wasn’t done, the sitting that declared his removal was “null and void.”

Obasa also discussed the resignation of Mojisola Meranda, who had been named as his replacement. According to him, Meranda voluntarily stepped down after a peace meeting with the state’s party leadership. “During a meeting at the Lagos House in Marina, Meranda openly declared her resignation, and after that, her security detail was withdrawn,” Obasa stated.

Despite claiming Meranda’s resignation, Obasa refused to acknowledge his own removal, challenging his opponents to produce any resignation letter with his signature. “Let them present my resignation letter. And if I had resigned, would I still be here? I’m sure you’d still be addressing me as Speaker,” he said.

When asked whether his impeachment was due to his ambition to become Governor of Lagos State or a strained relationship with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Obasa dismissed these speculations as unfounded. “It’s not a sin to have ambition. The Governor is my brother and my leader. I have no reason to disrespect him,” Obasa affirmed.

Regarding his court case contesting the impeachment, Obasa explained, “We have a case standing in court. It has nothing to do with removal.” However, when asked for more details, he deflected, stating, “I’m a lawyer but not a practicing one, so we’ll consult with the lawyers.”

Obasa’s dramatic return to the Assembly complex with a heavy security presence was a bold statement of his defiance. He insisted throughout the interview that the constitutional procedures had not been followed in his removal. “I’ve never been removed from office, and I’m not against removal, but if you are going to do that, you must follow the rules of the House,” he emphasized. “It is constitutional to impeach and remove. Since we practice constitutional democracy, the Constitution must be followed.”

The embattled lawmaker also questioned how lawmakers could disregard the very laws they created. “How can we disregard the laws we made by ourselves?” he asked.

In the midst of this conflict, Obasa has taken the matter to court, challenging the legality of his removal, especially since the House was on recess when the impeachment took place. On February 12, 2025, Obasa filed a motion in the State High Court in Ikeja, requesting an accelerated hearing of his case, claiming the impeachment was unconstitutional.

Obasa’s application in court contends that the sitting and proceedings of the House, which led to his removal, violated several sections of the Nigerian Constitution and the House’s own standing orders. He called for a speedy resolution to ensure that legislative activities in the state were not stalled.

As of now, the court has not set a date for hearing the case. Meanwhile, Obasa’s defiance continues, and his efforts to reclaim his position as Speaker show no signs of waning. The controversy surrounding his removal and the ongoing legal battle are expected to unfold in the coming weeks, as both sides prepare for a showdown in the courtroom.