The impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa did not come to many deep political thinkers as a surprise. Perhaps, only not-so-deep political strategists would be expressing surprise over the sacking of the former Speaker, who treats Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, like his “political boy,” whose views, however sound, appears not to matter in the running of Lagos State.
New reports gathered that Obasa’s lack of respect for Governor Sanwo-Olu’s person and the office he occupies as the Governor of Nigeria’s President’s home state is just one of his many sins.
It was further gathered that Obasa ignores advice and directives from the party and party elders at will, as he always insists on doing what pleases him without recourse to the party or its elders.
For instance, before amending the Local Government Law, the party and its elders reached out to him and asked him to tarry for a while.
But Obasa was said to have insisted on carrying on, and he ignored the “wise counsel” from the party and its elders.
Also, his decision to shun the APC South-West meeting held in Lagos late last year did not go down well with the elders of the party. The meeting had in attendance the likes of Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba and other prominent leaders from the region.
But Obasa did not just shun the meeting, he directed all members of the House of Assembly to shun the said convergence.
Again, the way he treated the governor during the budget presentation did not go down well with a lot of elders of the party, who were said to have reached out to the president to call him to order. Similarly, his delay of budget passage, shunning of state functions and the unguarded utterances about his governorship ambition among others are some of the major sins of Obasa, with most of the elders voting for his ouster.
Obasa was elected Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker on June 8, 2015, through the influence of the late Senator Bayo Osinowo, otherwise known as Pepper. Three years after his emergence, he fell out with Pepper, his godfather, and Pepper, in turn, moved against him. But Obasa survived the plot.
And by 2019, ‘Pepper’, who was a former member of the state assembly, was elected a senator from Lagos State, to represent Lagos- East Senatorial District. And barely a year after his election, he died.
Before his death, however, Daily Sun gathered that he allegedly made another attempt at shoving Obasa aside. Again, the plot failed. Obasa fought back and suspended some lawmakers who were fingered in the plot. Therefore, once Pepper died, three months after Obasa survived the 2020 impeachment plot, some had thought, it was all over.
Unfortunately, Obasa too became more emboldened, more arrogant, calling the bluff of anyone and everyone. The only political figure he reserved some modicum of respect for is the President of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
But he forgot that there are people President Tinubu also listens to. These elders, after a comprehensive review of the whole scenarios, came to the inevitable conclusion of ending the Obasa era in Lagos, yesterday. And to replace him, the stakeholders went for Hon. Mojisola Meranda, the deputy speaker. She has since been sworn in to lead the house.
For the new speaker, she needs to tread with caution. She must not underrate the weight of silence from Governor Sanwo-Olu, which for now, appears to have proven very effective in the face of unprovoked attacks from Obasa.
For Obasa, it is the end of an era. Going forward, however, he needs to drop his garb of political arrogance, if indeed, he is still interested in his political survival.
For anything outside that may signal his death politically. A word, they say, is enough for the wise!