A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Commission, Wale Mogaji, has warned that the impeached speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, could face suspension if he continues to claim the speaker’s position.
Mogaji made this statement in Ikeja on Monday, following Obasa’s assertion on Saturday that his impeachment was invalid, claiming he remains the speaker until the proper procedure is followed.
Mogaji criticized Obasa’s comments, stating that they undermine the authority of the Assembly, which had legally removed him.
He emphasized that Obasa was no longer the speaker, though he could still serve as a member of the parliament.
“He needs to understand that he is not an executive official. He should not compare himself to an elected governor. Your removal as speaker does not prevent you from being a parliament member,” Mogaji said.
He further warned that if Obasa continued to challenge the Assembly’s authority, he could face indictment, suspension, or even a ban from attending sittings.
The APC chieftain also addressed Obasa’s claims of improper impeachment, pointing out that Obasa himself had a history of disregarding due process.
He recalled his own removal as chairman of the Assembly Commission, which he said was due to Obasa’s dissatisfaction with his association with Obasa’s predecessor, Ikuforiji.
Despite a ruling by the National Industrial Court to maintain the status quo, Mogaji claimed that Obasa ignored the court order.
Mogaji also reflected on instances when Obasa had removed other principal officers of the House without just cause due to suspicions of their ambitions to become speaker.
Now that Obasa had experienced a similar fate, Mogaji suggested he should accept the decision and move on.
He advised the new speaker to learn from Obasa’s past mistakes to avoid similar issues in the future.
