Fate also conspired in his favor with the demise of the formidable Bayo Oshinowo, alias Pepper, and the fallout of powerful Rauf Aregbesola with President Tinubu.
Details of how ousted Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, 52, became very powerful are emerging.
And the name of the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, 59, is taking a prominent spot.
“Sanwo-Olu’s inactions rather than his actions helped Obasa establish strong political influence in and out of government,” according to those in the know. …CONTINUE READING
Obasa, who started out as a councillor in Agege Local Government (1999 to 2002), was elected to the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2007 and has secured re-election since then—2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023.
Obasa has been the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2015.
“Based on his pedigree, Obasa has a thoroughbred understanding of how to make use of political advantages in and out of government. It is against such a person that Sanwo-Olu chose to adopt an easy-motion attitude. He simply played into his hands,” sources say.
Easy-motion is street slang for “let everything flow without rocking the boat.”
While Sanwo-Olu adopted a non-threatening and gentlemanly approach to politics, Obasa seized the initiative to build massive political influence.
It was also to the former Speaker’s advantage that he had been playing top-level politics within the Lagos State administration, including four years as Speaker during the “turbulent years” of Akinwunmi Ambode, where he was the star boy of the political establishment—before Sanwo-Olu became Governor.
Fate also conspired in his favor with the demise of the formidable Bayo Oshinowo, alias Pepper, and the fallout of powerful Rauf Aregbesola with President Tinubu.
“Obasa simply inherited large portions of their power bases and followings. Emboldened by Sanwo-Olu’s easy-motion posture, he sealed alliances even with the Governor’s cabinet and became the go-to person for political patronage in and out of government, backed by his position and ability to dispense favors,” insiders say.
The removed Speaker reportedly leveraged this advantage to cement his political influence ahead of the 2023 elections, according to those in the know.
With many top-level state politicians focused on the presidential election and engulfed in nationwide campaigns to help Tinubu win, Obasa played a prominent role in far-reaching decisions about who became what at the state level.
Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, 60, who has the clout for a fight-back, couldn’t because of his adopted approach to stay in the shadows of Governor Sanwo-Olu as part of efforts to ensure a cordial relationship and not be seen as too ambitious.
“So, as the most active top-ranking politician in government, Obasa built a formidable structure until he overreached and was surreptitiously removed on Monday,” insiders say.
Obasa was impeached on Monday, January 13, 2025, and replaced with the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda.
