President Bola Tinubu has reportedly pressured members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to reinstate Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker, despite his impeachment three weeks ago. According to sources, Tinubu believes that the political fallout from Obasa's removal may be too costly, outweighing the potential benefits of punishing him for his alleged corruption and abuse of office.
A senior Lagos politician confirmed that the president has instructed the lawmakers to prepare for Obasa’s return, with the understanding that he would only serve a short time before stepping down on his own terms. However, some lawmakers expressed concerns about the difficulty of reintegrating Obasa, especially those who were involved in his impeachment or had shared reports about his alleged misconduct.
After being impeached on January 13, Obasa was replaced by Lasbat Mojisola Meranda, who has faced difficulty asserting her authority, particularly as Obasa refused to vacate the Speaker's official residence. Despite Meranda having support from most legislators, Obasa returned to the Speaker's Lodge after a trip to the United States and has since refused to leave, arguing that his impeachment was illegal.
The controversy surrounding Obasa's impeachment and the president's directive to reinstate him is expected to cause divisions within Lagos's political circles. However, sources suggest that no lawmaker will openly defy the president’s directive, given his strong influence over the state's politics.
The political developments include reports that Obasa met with Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu in an attempt to finalize his return as Speaker, which could happen as soon as next week. The Lagos political landscape remains tense as the situation unfolds.
