On Monday, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa for multiple statutory and financial infractions.

He was succeeded by his deputy, Lasbat Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1 and previously served as the chief whip of the House.

The removal came days after The Gazette reported how Mr Obasa oversaw the withdrawal of N43.5 billion for back up vehicles for lawmakers, as well as other controversial activities.

Mr Obasa, 52, was first elected Speaker on June 8, 2015, resuming office alongside former one-term governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Repeated charges of fraud and political thuggery have marked his speakership. In 2020, Peoples Gazette published a series of investigations detailing how Mr Obasa diverted Lagos funds to his personal firms and bank accounts. Sahara Reporters at the time also uncovered Mr Obasa’s assets across Lagos.

He received an invitation to undergo questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the anti-graft agency found itself inundated with numerous media reports detailing allegations of Mr. Obasa’s questionable management practices.

In response to these allegations, he firmly denied all claims against him, maintaining his innocence throughout the process. Following his discussions with the detectives, the EFCC concluded that there was insufficient evidence to file any charges against him, effectively bringing the matter to a close for the time being.