The former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has made a startling claim that his impeachment was illegitimate, citing the use of a fake mace during the proceedings. Obasa’s removal has been shrouded in controversy, and his latest allegation has added another layer of complexity to the saga. As the political drama unfolds, many are left wondering about the implications of this revelation and the potential consequences for the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Mudashiru Obasa, the recently impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, claims his impeachment was carried out using a fake mace.

Obasa said this on Saturday during a welcome event hosted in his honour by supporters from Agege, Alimosho, and Kosofe local government areas in Ikeja GRA.

Obasa’s impeachment on January 13, 2025, was a result of allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office, which led to his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, being elected and sworn in as his successor.

However, he described his impeachment as unlawful and null and void.

Obasa argued that the impeachment process didn’t adhere to constitutional procedures.

Addressing his supporters following his return to Lagos on Saturday, Obasa said, “Let me ask you, early in the morning of that day, policemen invaded the House of Assembly, led by the commissioner of police. What was he doing in the House of Assembly? What was his business in the House of Assembly?

“My house in Agege was invaded by more than 200 policemen and this house was blocked, my people from Agege were detained in a black Maria. My children did not sleep in this house on that day because they were locked out and my wife kept inside. House arrest!”

According to him, he was not bothered, only that the impeachment “should have followed due process”.

He said, “Thank God for my people in Agege, they have repeatedly returned me to represent them for six times. So what should I be afraid?

“All we are saying is that if you want to achieve something, do it well, and not because you realise that I’m out of the country and you have more policemen to invade the House of Assembly, to invade my house in GRA, invade my house in Agege; it doesn’t make sense.”

“Lagos is a state that others look up to, we must delegate Lagos, we must not pull it down,” he added.

He admitted that he has been involved in the removal of other people from their positions in the assembly, but claimed they were done in accordance with the law.

“Fine, I cannot deny the fact. But let us ask questions, when Pelumi, my brother, who I love so much and fondly call Brother Waheed, was removed, he was in the House and there was no police involvement. It was done on the floor of the House without any breaking into the chamber and without presenting (a) fake mace.

“When Tejuoso, my lovely sister and friend, was removed as deputy speaker, we were all there on the floor of the House. We did not invite any police; it was done peacefully. And the members that were suspended, it was done by the majority of the House on the floor of the House,” he said.

According to reports, earlier on Saturday during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and some other All Progressives Congress stakeholders following Obasa’s impeachment, he argued that his impeachment ought to be nullified because he had hidden the two maces in possession of the state House of Assembly.

However, he was informed that the mace used during the session in which he was impeached was brought from the old Assembly building.

One of the sources said, “President Tinubu had summoned all the stakeholders; Lagos lawmakers, Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council, Obasa himself and Lagos Governor to Abuja for consultations and understanding.

“The President was unhappy the removal of Obasa was orchestrated without his express approval, and that he learnt about it from the news and social media. Except this lack of approval, he told Obasa that “he was not born a Speaker, and that speakership was not created with him”.

“Obasa pushed for the nullification of his impeachment on the grounds that the mace used to conduct business of the day on that fateful day wasn’t the official mace of the Lagos House of Assembly, considering he hid away the two maces while travelling out of the country.

“The lawmakers defeated his argument by confirming the mace used as the old mace of the parliament in the old building of the assembly. Seeing the futility of his claims, Obasa requested the President to prevail on the new leadership to grant him access to his belongings at the Speaker’s lodge and guest house. This was granted by the President,” the source added.

Obasa was impeached by more than two-thirds of the 40-member legislative house over alleged misconduct and sundry offences.

Obasa’s deputy, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, was immediately elected the new Speaker, becoming the first female to take charge of the legislative body in the Southwest state.

Obasa, from Agege Constituency I, was first elected into the House in 2007. He has since been in the chamber since then. He emerged speaker in June 2015 before his removal in January 2025.

On Monday, January 13, 2025, Obasa was impeached for gross misconduct and abuse of office.