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Obasa’s removal constitutional – Mamora, ex-Lagos Speaker
Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and a Minister, Olorunnibe Mamora, has described the removal of the immediate past Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, as constitutional.
This is coming on the heels of Obasa maintaining that his removal as Speaker was unconstitutional, saying that the due process was not followed.
Mamora was the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, from 1999 to 2003. He represented Lagos East Senatorial District from 2003 to 2011, Minister of State for Health from 2019 to 2022, and the Minister of Science and Technology from 2022 to 2023 under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Recall that Obasa was removed by 35 out of the 40 members of the assembly on January 13, 2025 over allegations of misconduct and mismanagement of funds and replaced with his former Deputy, Mojisola Lasbat-Meranda.
Obasa, spoke on Saturday amid cheers from members of Mandate Movement and politicians from some local governments in the state at the official residence of the Lagos Speaker in GRA, Ikeja.
The former speaker stressed that the allegations made against him by the lawmakers could not be substantiated, and that he is the most experienced lawmaker in the assembly having been elected six times since 2003.
Mamora speaks
Speaking exclusively with Vanguard, Mamora explained, “He who must come to equity must come with clean hands. That’s my position. I like legislature a lot.
“Let me correct the impression. I have heard people say this in media discourse. If you look at the constitution you would not find impeachment. What you find is removal. There is difference between removal and impeachment.
“Impeachment connotes bringing allegations of wrong doing formally, in presenting before an offending public officer that is impeachment.
“That is when a formal presentation of allegations of wrong doing is presented to a public officer that is impeachment.
“But allegation do not necessary amount to guilt. It only says that these are the allegations that have been brought formally, which the officer has to respond to, that is impeachment.
“If you are now convicted on the basis of allegations and a kind of sentence is passed. They may be spurious, that is they can not be really established. So, they remain allegations.
But when allegations are established leading to kind of sentence, then it may lead to removal. Allegations brought against you through impeachment may not necessary lead to remobval.
For example, President Clinton was impeached over Lewinsky, was he removed. No. He was impeached not removed. By their own constitution it’s the house that will bring impeachment notice, But, the final stage will be by the Senate. It got to the Senate it ws defeated.
But our own constitution does not talk of impeachment in any case, what we have is removal of the President, governor or the Speaker.
The removal of a Speaker in the House of Assembly is or the National Assembly or Senate President is simple.
“What I mean by that is that once members bring a motion that is supported by the two third of members then the speaker or at thje national level vacate the seat, that’s all. It does not even say you should explain. It is just a simple process.
“Because, the speaker, is just first among equals. That is why the process for the removal of the Speaker or Senate President is different from the removal of Mr. Governor, deputy Governor or President, or Vice President.
“Because in the case of the Governor, it is the whole state that voted to put him in office that is why the procedure for his or her removal is a complex process.
The allegations must be supported by one third to be brought and served notice on the holder of the office, wait for his or her response. set up a panel, report comes back to the house and the house come with a two third majority of the house. So you see it’s a complex process.
“But for the speaker, you just sat down, because the speaker is elected by simple majority but the constitution says by two third majority of the house, Speaker can be removed. The Constitution does not even say you should state the allegations.
It only says if you have the support of not less than two third majority of the members, in support of the motion for the removal of the speaker supported by not less than two third, and the speaker vacates. It dis not even say yiu should confront him with the allegations.
Impeachment on Obasa, Constitutional
“Obasa was impeached and removed because there was a presentation which I watched on television. There was presentation of allegations against him. And it was on the basis of the allegations that the house decided to remove him.
“We need to get it clear. What we do here is that we use the word impeachment and removal inter-changeably as they are the same. I need to correct that.
“There could be impeachment without removal. The constitution under section 92, sub section two or thereabout talks of removal that the speaker shall vacate if a motion is presented supported by two third of members. That’s all.
So, allegations were presented against Obasa and on that basis the members went ahead to remove him in consonant with the section 92 of the constitution. So, the removal of Obasa is constitutional.
“If the allegations as read out on the floor of the assembly were true,, am not in the position to determine the veracity because am not a member of the assembly, but as presented by movers of that motion, if they were right then they would be justified to do what they did.
Disrespecting the office of Governor
“I heard of the allegation of Obasa disrespecting the office of the governor and of its true it won’t be right to do that. The Governor remains the number one person of the state as the chief executive. I would not expect the speaker to be rude or show disrespect to the governor of the state no matter what.
But I can not deny the knowledge of a meeting by the GAC, am not a member of GAC, of the Speaker showing disrespect to the Governor. That will not be right of the speaker if you ask me to disrespect the Governor.”
President Bola Tinubu has assented to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion.
He also signed the bill extending the implementation period for the 2025 budget from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.
This was announced on Friday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The ₦68.32 trillion budget for this year earmarks ₦4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and ₦15.8 trillion for debt service.
It allocates ₦15.4 trillion to recurrent expenditure and ₦32.2 trillion to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.
“With capital expenditure accounting for about 50 per cent, the 2026 budget underscores the administration’s continued commitment to economic stability, national security, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth.
The allocations reflect a strategic balance between statutory obligations, debt servicing, recurrent expenditure, and capital investments critical to driving productivity and improving the quality of life for Nigerians,” the statement read in part.
The President also has assented to the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the implementation period of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.
The extension, the statement revealed, would ensure the full and effective utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure and development projects that are at advanced stages of implementation across the country.
It will enable ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to consolidate ongoing works, enhance project completion rates, and maximise value for public expenditure. With the 2026 Appropriation Act coming into force on April 1, the Federal Government will commence full implementation in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda,” it added.
Additionally, President Tinubu directed MDAs to ensure disciplined, transparent, and efficient utilisation of allocated resources, with a strong emphasis on value for money and timely project delivery.
He commended the National Assembly for its diligence, cooperation, and patriotism in expeditiously considering and passing the budget.
The President reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government in advancing national development objectives.
Tinubu also assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms, enhance revenue generation, and prioritise investments that will stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen social protection mechanisms.
The budget is also expected to be partly financed through external borrowing, following the approval of a foreign loan plan exceeding $21 billion to bridge the fiscal gap.
₦9.85trn Increase
The 2026 budget represents an increase of ₦9.85 trillion over the initial proposal of ₦58.47 trillion that Tinubu submitted to the National Assembly, and ₦13.33 trillion higher than the 2025 budget.
The President had while presenting the 2025 budget proposal before federal lawmakers in December 2025, pegged the capital expenditure at ₦26.08 trillion and the crude oil benchmark at US$64.85 per barrel.
He disclosed that the expected total revenue was ₦34.33 trillion; ₦15.52 trillion for debt servicing.
The proposal was anchored on a crude oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day, and an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the US Dollar for the 2026 fiscal year.
Amid the growing concerns over insecurity across the country, Tinubu said his administration would “invest in security with clear accountability for outcomes—because security spending must deliver security results”.
“We will take decisive steps to strengthen agricultural markets. Food security is national security.
“The 2026 budget prioritises input financing and mechanisation; irrigation and climate‑resilient agriculture; storage and processing; and agro‑value chains,” he told the National Assembly members.
Nigeria’s budgets in recent years have come under fire with experts critcising the poor implementation and release of funds for the execution of important national projects.
But the Tinubu administration said that the 2026 national budget was well-planned to solidify the gains of its reform agenda.
“Our ‘Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity’ is critical. It is a commitment to double down on what is working, to solidify gains, and to ensure that the shared prosperity we speak of becomes a lived reality for more Nigerians, faster,” Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement.
Popular sports broadcast journalist with Classic FM 97.3, Temisan Okomi, has died.
A journalist with News Central, Olawale Adigun, confirmed his death in a statement shared on X on Friday.
He wrote on X, “The worst way to go into the weekend is hearing about Temisan Okomi’s passing. I’m so gutted and, at the same time, terrified. This man meant so much to me.”
Recall that news of his death has since stirred reactions on X, with colleagues and fans expressing shock and grief.
The late journalist had worked with Lagos Television, HiTV, and other prominent media organizations in Nigeria.
His last post on X was on April 14, 2026, when he wrote, “The Champions League is hard, man.”
Ibrahim Abdulkarim, a political associate of ex-governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has claimed that the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has agreed to deputize the Obi in the 2027 presidential race.
He spoke during an interview on Trust TV, said the Obidients and the Kwankwassiyya Movements are already aligning towards Obi/Kwankwaso ticket.
Asked if Obi and Kwankwaso had struck a deal, Abdulkarim said “yes, I can categorically tell you that they have agreed”.
We all know that. Both the Obidients and the Kwankwassiyya Movements are aware of the agreement”.
Recall that Kwankwaso recently decamped from the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
His move stirred suspicion that the two political gladiators may have agreed to run for the 2027 presidency on a single ticket.
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