Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, accusing him of multiple statutory and financial infractions.
In his place, Deputy Speaker Lasbat Meranda, representing Apapa Constituency 1, has been sworn in as the new Speaker, Ikeja Record can confirm.
The impeachment comes amid multiple allegations of corruption against Mr. Obasa and a cold war with the Executive arm.
At the time of his removal, Mr. Obasa was reportedly in Atlanta, USA.
Background and Controversies
Mr. Obasa’s tenure has been marked by repeated allegations of corruption and misconduct. In March 2020, a civil society group petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate him for misappropriation of public funds, including spending N2.4 billion in 11 months to purchase vehicles for lawmakers.
Investigations revealed that Mr. Obasa allegedly operated fictitious companies, including De Kingrun Multipurpose Nigeria Limited, where family members were listed as directors. A 2020 report by Peoples Gazette also uncovered that N568 million was deposited into his company’s account in one day.
Despite appearing before an Assembly panel and denying the allegations, civil society groups criticized the proceedings as a whitewash. The EFCC later froze some of Mr. Obasa’s accounts but released them in 2023 following a court order.
Connections to the U.S.
According to a profile by The Record in July 2023, Mr. Obasa was granted honorary citizenship of Georgia during the Georgia Legislative Black Conference for his “service to the state of Georgia” and Nigeria.
However, the nature of this service remains unclear. Records show that Mr. Obasa registered a company, De Kingrun Multipurpose LLC, in Georgia in 2011. The company was dissolved in 2020, but a related business was registered in Georgia in 2021 by Adegoriola Oyenusi, a known associate of Mr. Obasa linked to land-grabbing activities in Lagos.
Obasa, who first assumed office as Speaker on June 8, 2015, denied all corruption allegations throughout his speakership. More details to follow.