The Lagos State House of Assembly has tightened security at the Assembly Complex as lawmakers hold plenary on Monday (today), The PUNCH reports.

There are speculations that there might be a showdown at the House as the former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday claimed he remained the Speaker of the House.

Obasa was removed by the majority of House members on January 13, 2025, following allegations of misconduct and financial misappropriation. He was subsequently replaced by the Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda.

Today’s plenary will be the third session presided over by Meranda since Obasa’s removal, with the former speaker absent at the last two sittings.

Speaking on Saturday, Obasa who had been outside Lagos since the saga at the House, said he still remained the speaker, and asked the lawmakers to follow the “right way” to remove him from office.

The former speaker also denied the allegations of corruption brought against him by the lawmakers during his removal, describing the alleged financial misappropriations as “impossible.”

Responding to questions from newsmen shortly after he addressed his supporters, Obasa insisted that he remained the Speaker.

“My status in the house? I believe strongly I am still the speaker until the right thing has been done. If you want to remove me, remove me the proper way and I will not contest it.

“I’m a Muslim and I believe in fate. But let’s do it the way it should be done.”

When asked if a legal battle was in the offing, Obasa responded, “You will know. It’s a matter of time.”

Obasa also spoke to a huge crowd of supporters at the Speaker’s Lodge, 47, GRA Ikeja Lagos.

He said, “I thank you for your support and dedication. I will take this advantage to debunk the allegations that were circulated and raised about me

“Is it possible to construct an ordinary gate with N16 billion? It is not the wall of Jericho or the wall that demarcated the United States of America and Mexico.

“How can they say we bought one Hilux bus for N1 billion each and that we bought 40 pieces for N40 billion? I am not disturbed or perturbed and I am not afraid. I will debunk all the allegations levelled against me by the House.

“I have not done anything wrong. I have been a lawmaker for over two decades and I am the longest-serving lawmaker in the House.”

In a notice issued from the acting Clerk’s office on Sunday, staff members and legislative aides were advised to come to the complex with a means of identification.

The notice said anyone without a valid ID would be denied entry into the assembly premises.

“Regarding management directives, all staff members and legislative aides must present valid identity cards to access the House premises. Please remember that entry will be denied to anyone without a valid identity card,” the short notice read.

Police pledge peace

The Lagos State Police Command has also said it will maintain order in the state irrespective of what transpires at the assembly on Monday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ishola Olawale, in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday, said as much as the police had no business inside the assembly, it was his duty to maintain the calmness outside the assembly and everywhere in the state.

According to him, there won’t be any breakdown of law and order in the state. “That will not happen. I don’t see any breakdown of law in the state and if there is, it is inside the assembly and I am not allowed to enter the assembly. But outside the assembly, there won’t be any breakdown of law and order in Lagos State, in whatever location because that’s my job as a policeman.”

He added, “People will genuinely move about with their businesses, but anybody congregating anywhere to foment trouble will be decisively dispersed, and if they don’t (cooperate), they will be arrested if they conduct themselves in an unruly manner. Everyone has the right to assembly but there is also what we call law and order.”

The police also denied invading the residence of the former Speaker.

Obasa had on Saturday accused the Lagos CP of leading policemen to invade the Assembly and his residence on the day of his removal.

He alleged that over 200 policemen invaded his residences in the Agege area of the state and at the GRA, blocking the gate and preventing members of his family from going out of the house.

“My children did not sleep in this house on that day because they were locked out, and my wife kept inside — house arrest,” Obasa said while addressing a crowd of supporters at the Speaker’s Lodge, 47, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.

But the CP stated that Obasa’s claim could be easily investigated from the residents without even hearing from him.

“The man lives within an estate, so that means before you get to his house, you must have breached the gate of that estate. There are gatemen in the estate, why don’t you find out? 200 policemen? How many policemen do I have? Have you asked that question?” the CP queried.

Ishola also said the police had no business at the assembly as they were not authorised to be in the hallowed chambers.

“Whatever happens there (in the assembly) has nothing to do with the police. They have ways they check themselves in and I don’t believe anybody who has no business inside the assembly is allowed in. They have their sergeants at hand who coordinate the conduct of the assembly.

“The law does not permit me to supervise or even intervene in what happens inside the assembly. It has nothing to do with me as a policeman,” the CP added.

According to him, Lagos is calm and “it’s my job to keep it calm and that’s what I’m going to do, that’s what I’m doing.”

GAC meeting

Obasa and the Governor’s Advisory Council are reportedly scheduled to meet with President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.

A source privy to the development also told one of our correspondents on Sunday that the meeting was part of efforts to proffer a solution to the political differences between Obasa and other lawmakers in the Assembly.

“Efforts are underway to reconcile Obasa with his colleagues. Apart from his meeting with the president when he arrived in the country last week, he is scheduled alongside the Governor’s Advisory Council to have another meeting with the president on Wednesday to discuss the impeachment. Politically, both Obasa and the GAC are answerable to the president, so it is his position that they will both abide by at the end of the day.

“However, the lawmaker is unlikely to resume a session at the Assembly complex on Monday,” the source said.

According to the source, this was due to the tense situation occasioned by his removal.

“For now, Obasa has no plan to resume the session at the Assembly complex on Monday. Since there is an ongoing effort to reconcile them, that is likely to happen before he attends the session. As you know, the situation remains tense, and his attendance at the Assembly could escalate into a serious issue.”

The source who dismissed claims that the speaker could explore legal options added, “There are no plans to challenge the impeachment in court. The focus instead is on finding a political solution to the matter.”

Meanwhile, President Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, could not confirm that GAC and Obasa would be meeting with the President this week.

He also noted that Obasa was not at the Presidential Villa last week to see Tinubu, contrary to reports.

According to him, some ministers, who were also billed to meet Tinubu last week, could not see him due to the President’s tight schedule.

‘Obasa’s removal justified’

A former deputy Majority Leader of the assembly, Olumuyiwa Jimoh, said Obasa’s fate was a lesson to many, noting that “absolute power corrupts.”

While speaking on Arise TV on Sunday, Jimoh said some of the allegations of misconduct brought against Obasa by lawmakers were not new, and the current lawmakers had only come to realise them.

The PUNCH reports that at the last plenary presided over by Meranda, a handful of past lawmakers were present in the chamber, a move said by some sources at the assembly to be a support for the House’s decision and for the new speaker.

Jimoh said, “The people in the house of assembly, both the staff members and the honorable members including those who have business at the assembly were filled with joy when he was removed. They were like the captivity of Zion relieved from their cage.”

Justifying Obasa’s removal, the former lawmaker, who represented Apapa Constituency II, said, “You can be the speaker in the morning and without even offending your colleagues, they decide that they want to try another person, provided they have two-thirds. You can be a speaker in the morning, go in with your convoy and in the evening, come back driving yourself home.

“He doesn’t realise that, he is equating himself with the governor of the state. It is the governor that requires notification for impeachment and it has a process. But as a speaker, your fate is being determined by your colleagues. These are your colleagues that you don’t have respect for – relating with them in an employee-employer relationship.

He may be averse to his removal but what he did by saying he’s still the speaker is not only unethical but equally unthinkable for somebody that has been removed by the house.”

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The political drama surrounding the impeachment of the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has taken a new turn as Senator Anthony Adefuye, a key member of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), has voiced his support for Obasa’s claim that his removal was unconstitutional. However, the pro-democracy group Lovers of Lagos has challenged Adefuye to back his assertions with a clear reference to the Constitution, insisting that the law, not emotions, should guide such matters.

In an interview with The Punch, Senator Adefuye expressed agreement with Obasa’s position that the impeachment process was flawed. “What he’s saying is that he was illegally removed and the procedure was faulty, and I agree with him,” Adefuye stated. This has sparked widespread debate about the legality of Obasa’s ouster, which occurred on January 13, 2025, with the support of 32 lawmakers—an overwhelming majority in the House.

Lovers of Lagos: Sentiment Is Not Law

Responding to Adefuye’s remarks, Lovers of Lagos issued a statement challenging the senator to provide specific constitutional provisions that were violated during Obasa’s removal. The group emphasized that governance and legislative actions must be guided by law, not personal sentiments or political loyalties.

“As an elder of the party and a former legislator, Senator Adefuye should know better than to make vague claims without backing them with constitutional evidence,” the group said. “If the former Speaker’s removal was truly illegal, let Senator Adefuye or anyone else point us to the exact part of the Constitution that supports this claim. It is not enough to make emotional arguments; these issues are constitutional, not sentimental.”

Obasa’s Claims Under Scrutiny

During his public address at the Speaker’s Lodge in Ikeja on Saturday, Obasa reiterated his stance that his removal did not follow due process. He denied allegations of financial misconduct and questioned the validity of the impeachment process.

“I have not done anything wrong. I have been a lawmaker for over two decades and am the longest-serving lawmaker in the House,” Obasa stated. He further mocked the allegations, asking, “Is it possible to construct an ordinary gate with N16 billion? It’s not the Wall of Jericho or the wall between the United States and Mexico.”

However, Lovers of Lagos dismissed these claims as a distraction from the real issue at hand. “The impeachment of Rt. Hon. Obasa was supported by 32 lawmakers—an undeniable majority. This shows that the process had widespread support within the Assembly. If Obasa believes his removal was unconstitutional, he should take legal action and let the courts decide, instead of engaging in public theatrics,” the group added.

A Call for Clarity

The group also criticized Senator Adefuye for adding fuel to the political crisis without offering constructive solutions. “As a respected elder and a member of the GAC, Senator Adefuye should be advising on how to move the state forward, not sowing discord by making baseless claims. The Constitution is clear on the procedures for impeachment, and these were followed in the case of Obasa,” Lovers of Lagos noted.

The Way Forward

While Obasa has hinted at potential legal action, observers have urged him to focus on presenting his case in court rather than fueling tensions in the political arena. His comparison of his removal to that of former Speaker Jokotola Pelumi, who he claims was impeached following due process, has also been questioned by legal experts, who argue that each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits.

“Lagosians deserve governance rooted in accountability and the rule of law. If there are grievances, they must be addressed within the framework of the Constitution. The era of impunity is over, and everyone, regardless of position, must adhere to the law,” Lovers of Lagos concluded.

As the controversy rages on, the spotlight remains on Senator Adefuye and others supporting Obasa to prove their claims with facts, not rhetoric. Until then, the Lagos State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, continues its work, moving past the era of Obasa’s leadership.