In what political observers are calling a shocking display of disrespect, former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa kept Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other dignitaries waiting for over four hours during a crucial budget presentation, a senior party official has revealed.
The incident, which occurred during the presentation of the 2025 appropriation bill, has now emerged as one of the key factors that led to Obasa’s dramatic impeachment on Monday. According to APC chieftain Fouad Oki, this behaviour exemplified the ex-Speaker’s growing reputation for acting like “an emperor.”
“Recall the events on the day when the governor presented the 2025 appropriation bill and the leadership of the party was invited to the convention.
“Not only was the governor kept waiting for over four hours, but the leadership of the party and all invited dignitaries were also kept waiting with no apologies or excuses. And when he came into the chambers, courtesies, too, were not extended to anyone,” Oki disclosed during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “And when he finally came into the chambers, courtesies were not extended to anyone.”
The revelation sheds new light on the tensions that had been building within Lagos State’s political establishment. Oki explained that Obasa’s removal wasn’t sudden but rather the culmination of months of growing concern over his leadership style and conduct.
The situation became so concerning that it eventually caught the attention of President Bola Tinubu. Sources indicate that members of the Governors Advisory Council (GAC) brought the matter to the President’s attention, leading to an intervention meeting. However, according to Oki, Obasa’s “recalcitrant” behavior during this meeting “broke the camel’s back.”
“The impeachment was the right thing to do,” Oki emphasized, noting that the action was taken partly to ensure Lagos continues to maintain its pivotal role in national politics under Tinubu’s presidency.
Following Monday’s impeachment, the House also suspended Clerk Mr. Olalekan Onafeko indefinitely and elected Mr. Mojeed Fatai as the new Deputy Speaker. The removal marks the end of Obasa’s tenure as Speaker, a position he held while representing Agege Constituency I as a sixth-term APC lawmaker.
