Stakeholders and political gladiators in Lagos State have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa over allegations of fraud leveled against him.
Obasa was removed by his colleagues on Monday after citing corruption allegations, and high-handedness, amongst others.
Some of the lawmakers alleged that Obasa oversaw the withdrawal of N43.5 billion for backup vehicles for lawmakers, as well as other controversial activities of which he never bought for his colleagues.
He was also accused of spending N17 billion on a gate to the assembly complex, which critics argue is excessive and fraudulent. There have also been allegations of mishandling constituency funds and projects against the ousted lawmaker.
Following his removal, there have been demands, especially by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party, in Lagos State, for his probe.
They called on the anti-graft agency to ensure it picks up Obasa, who is said to be in Atlanta Georgia, United States of America, once he touches Nigeria.
The Lagos PDP Publicity Secretary, Hakeem Amode, said by now the state Assembly should have submitted a petition to the EFCC to probe the fraud allegations against the former Speaker.
Ambode noted that the allegations were too weighty for the EFCC to ignore, adding that it would also show the members of the public that the 32 lawmakers did not only played politics by impeaching Obasa but that the allegations were actually true.
LP Secretary in Lagos, Sam Okpala, also advanced the need for the EFCC to nab Obasa, investigate and prosecute him if found culpable.
Meanwhile, both Obasa loyalists and his Chief Press Secretary, Eromosele Ebhomele, have been quiet since the former Speaker was sacked.
No one appeared to be defending him and all lawmakers have shifted their loyalty to the newly named Speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
It was gathered that even Obasa’s loyalists at his Agege base refused to defend him because they may be sacrificing their personal political ambitions by openly speaking for the ousted speaker.
Sources within his camp, however, said Obasa may prolong his vacations in the U.S.
The source noted that since the calls for his arrest by the EFCC have been festering, he may decide to stay put until “frayed nerves are calmed.”
“For now, I don’t see him returning to the country. With what I am seeing, there is a chance that the EFCC may come for him immediately he flies in and he knows that he may not escape it. So, he may likely spend some extra days over weeks before returning to Nigeria,” the source within the Lagos APC who doesn’t want to be named told Investors King.