Why Ex-Speaker Obasa’s Men Across Local Councils Are Under Close Watch

Details have it that loyalists of Mudashiru Obasa, the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, are under close watch, particularly in the Local Government Areas.

Obasa, who had been Speaker since 2015, was removed from the esteemed position on Monday, January 13, 2025.

The development, which dealt a heavy blow to his tenure in the Lagos Assembly that began in 2007, occurred while he was on vacation abroad.

The event significantly diminished his towering influence as the most active ranking politician in the present-day government in charge of Lagos State.

Since his removal, sources disclosed that “stakeholders” have kept a close eye on his loyalists to prevent a “regroup and an unwanted comeback.”

Obasa’s men across council areas have particularly become persons of interest due to the upcoming Lagos State local government election, expected to hold in the first quarter of this year, 2025.

At the time of his removal, the former Speaker was reportedly working on expanding his influence in the local government by getting more of his supporters into chairmanship positions, according to claims from various quarters.

“But that ambition has been halted, as those pushbacks that ousted him from office are snowballing into efforts to reduce his clout in other places as well, including the council areas. So there is special focus on aspirants with ties to Obasa seeking to get re-elected or trying to get into positions for the first time. And the claims are that the objective is to stop them as part of efforts to prevent giving the former Speaker the foothold to fight back,” sources say.

Obasa was replaced by the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda.