A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Fouad Oki, has defended the impeachment of former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, stating that the ex-speaker had begun to see himself as an “emperor.”
Naija News reports that Oki expressed his views during a Channels Television programme on Monday.
This follows Obasa’s impeachment and subsequent replacement with Mojisola Meranda, the first female Speaker in the Assembly’s history.
Oki, who described Obasa’s removal as unsurprising, noted that the six-term lawmaker representing Agege Constituency I had exhibited conduct unbecoming of a legislative leader.
Obasa was impeached on Monday over multiple allegations of financial infractions and misconduct. His tenure was marked by controversies, including accusations of highhandedness, inciting lawmakers against each other, and mismanagement of Assembly funds.
Oki, in reaction, said, “He saw himself as an emperor. It became very obvious that there was a need for a change in the leadership of the parliament in Lagos. If you cast your mind back, you must have seen this coming in the last 18 months.
“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 apology given. And when he came into the chambers, courtesies, too, were not extended to anyone.
“Rather, it was a situation or an event of letting people know that “I am the emperor here.” One of the ways to check such an irresponsible attitude is by stopping his excesses.”
The grassroots politician stressed that the impeachment was done in Tinubu’s best interest to see that Lagos remained pivotal in his political leadership.
He added, “Before the President came home, this issue had been lingering. In the wisdom of members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, the President’s attention was called. The President, as father and leader, called a meeting wherein he tried to make a sense out of the observations raised by elders of the party. Unfortunately, the President saw the (former) speaker as recalcitrant. I think that is what broke the camel’s back.”