A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Muiz Banire, has described the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly as an inevitable outcome of his actions and political missteps.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Hard Copy, Banire mentioned key instances of discord that led to Obasa’s fall, including his controversial stance on local government autonomy and elections, which diverged from the governor’s and the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s positions.
“Beyond the issue of the budget and the delay of the governor, Obasa took a position contrary to that of his governor and his party. His stance against local government autonomy and the conduct of local government elections was irreconcilable. For him to go against such an establishment, he had to face the consequences,” Banire said.
Banire also pointed out that Obasa’s removal was influenced by his perceived disrespect towards Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during an official visit.
“Obasa’s speech to Sanwo-Olu was rude and an act of insubordination; he breached mutual respect. Before that, there were already issues on the ground warranting his removal. For instance, delaying the governor for four hours during his visit to the Assembly was unacceptable,” he explained.
While Governor Sanwo-Olu may have appeared indifferent to the incident, Banire noted that party leaders and chieftains viewed Obasa’s actions as a public affront to party unity.
“He gave the impression to the world that there was a fracture in the party by externalising it in his speech. That was the trigger for the sanctions,” Banire added.
According to Banire, Obasa’s removal signals the collapse of his political influence, as his power and support were closely tied to his position as Speaker.
“If there was any support Obasa had gathered before, it has automatically crumbled. In politics, people worship money and offices. The moment he is no longer occupying the office, his influence withers away,” he said.
Banire further invoked the principle of karma, highlighting Obasa’s role in the removal of previous Assembly leaders.
“He is reaping what he has sown. He was part of the package during the removal of others, so he has no reason to complain,” Banire concluded.
