Lagos Assembly In Turmoil: Obasa’s Sh*cking Impeachment Ignites Fierce Power Struggle

This development has intensified rifts within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) just ahead of the local government elections.

Obasa, who led the Lagos State House of Assembly for ten years, was ousted while abroad, sparking allegations of an internal power struggle within the party.

Despite his impeachment, Obasa has refused to vacate the Speaker’s official residence, arguing that the process was illegitimate.

“I still consider myself the Speaker until due process is followed. If they want to remove me, they should do it properly, and I won’t resist,” Obasa told his supporters, dismissing fraud allegations against him.

Tinubu’s Influence and the Political Fallout

Obasa was seen as politically untouchable, largely due to his strong ties to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the political heavyweight behind Lagos’s power structure.

A presidential aide, speaking to The Africa Report, revealed that Tinubu strategically maintained Obasa’s position to counterbalance the governors and retain control over state politics.

“Tinubu’s strategy is clear—he selects the governors and also the Speaker, who holds the power to impeach a governor if needed. This balance has kept Lagos under his influence,” the aide disclosed.

However, Obasa’s growing independence and bold defiance reportedly angered Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other APC leaders. The situation escalated when Obasa arrived late for the 2025 budget presentation and implied he was fit to become governor, a move seen as a direct challenge to the party hierarchy.

Muiz Banire, a former APC legal adviser, noted that Obasa’s defiance placed him at odds with the party’s leadership.

“For him to confront such an entrenched establishment, repercussions were inevitable,” Banire said in an interview with Channels Television.

During President Tinubu’s Christmas visit to Lagos, members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) reportedly raised concerns about Obasa’s conduct, leading to instructions for him to apologize. However, after failing to comply, Obasa was impeached in absentia and replaced by Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda, with the backing of powerful political figures.

Misreading Tinubu’s Stance Fuels Crisis

Sources suggest Lagos APC leaders miscalculated, believing Tinubu had approved Obasa’s removal. However, insiders close to the presidency told The Africa Report that Tinubu was not directly involved in the impeachment, adding to the confusion and division within the party.

The crisis took a surprising twist when federal authorities refused to arrest Obasa despite the corruption allegations. Instead, security forces detained two lawmakers, Lanre Afinni and Sylvester Ogunkelu, who were instrumental in the impeachment process. Their detention was short-lived, as other lawmakers stormed the security agency’s office, demanding their release and asserting the impeachment’s legitimacy.

While Tinubu has remained publicly silent on the matter, sources suggest he is displeased with how Obasa’s removal was handled, leaving the APC in Lagos grappling with deepening internal discord.