News

Inside the Atlanta Mansion Where Obasa Slept as Speaker and Woke Up as a Floor Member

Published by admin on January 14th, 2025.

Inside the Atlanta Mansion Where Obasa Slept as Speaker and Woke Up as a Floor Member

Mudashiru Obasa, former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, was impeached on Monday afternoon following a vote of 32 out of 40 lawmakers. The decision was taken to preserve the efficiency and integrity of the Assembly, with allegations of corruption and abuse of office directed at Obasa. The impeachment followed a motion raised by Femi Saheed (Kosofe II) and seconded by Aro Moshood Abiodun (Ikorodu II). Mojisola Lasbat Meranda (Apapa I) was subsequently elected as the first woman Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The main catalyst for Obasa’s removal was a report by The Peoples Gazette on January 10, which revealed that he had drawn a staggering ₦43.5 billion for vehicles meant for lawmakers. While the breakdown indicated that each member of the 40-member Assembly was to receive N1.1 billion, many claimed they did not receive such benefits, prompting them to highlight this fraud as part of the grievances against the former Speaker. Similar corruption allegations had previously been made against Obasa in 2020, leading to an invitation by the EFCC, though no charges were filed at the time. Anti-graft sources indicate that the investigation will resume after Obasa’s removal.

Abiodun Tobun (Epe I) stated that the impeachment of Obasa was “inevitable,” as the lawmakers sought to safeguard the “integrity” of the House and the state. Despite the allegations, Obasa has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his wealth was legally acquired.

At the time of his impeachment, it was early morning in Atlanta, Georgia, where Obasa was reportedly relaxing in a family home after attending a legal conference. The residence, located in Lawrenceville, Georgia, was purchased by Obasa in May 2019 for $424,742. Property records show that the home, originally designed as a four-bedroom, four-bathroom property, was later renovated to include seven bedrooms and five bathrooms, raising its value to approximately $654,602. In 2024, Obasa paid $40,000 in taxes on the property, a sum significantly higher than his annual earnings as Speaker of Lagos State.

The mansion, located in Gwinnett County, was purchased during Obasa’s first term as Speaker and completed in August 2019, just weeks after he began his second term. Obasa was in his third term as Speaker when he was removed from office.

Anti-corruption campaigner Eric Okonkwo questioned how a public official could afford such lavish assets in the U.S., noting that Obasa’s expenditures appeared to be a display of public corruption. Following his impeachment, Obasa has lost his leadership role in the Assembly, becoming a regular floor member for the first time since 2015. It remains uncertain whether he will return to Lagos to resume his duties as an ordinary member. Requests for comment from his spokesperson were not returned.