Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has allegedly intervened to protect the impeached Lagos Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, from arrest and prosecution over a multi billion naira fraud investigation.
According to reports from The Gazette, anti-graft agents from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were already mobilized to nab Obasa upon his arrival in Nigeria from his overseas vacation.
Senator Tinubu directed that Obasa should not be arrested or prosecuted now, citing the need to maintain party unity within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State.
A presidency official said anonymously, “She said he’s useful to them in Agege and its environs, and they don’t want an immediate crack in their ranks now.
“She said they should continue their investigation but hold off now on touching him because he’s useful to the party.”
Obasa, impeached on January 13 over budgetary fraud and other corruption allegations, is believed to wield significant political influence in key Lagos constituencies such as Agege and Alimosho, which played a decisive role in the 2023 elections.
Tinubu reportedly argued that Obasa’s stronghold in these areas is crucial to President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, and his arrest at this time could destabilize the party’s structure in the state.
EFCC has been investigating Obasa’s financial dealings since 2020, following reports by The Gazette detailing his alleged illicit acquisition of assets and mismanagement of public funds.
Although Obasa was not prosecuted then, fresh corruption allegations linked to budgetary misappropriation led to his recent impeachment.
EFCC insiders had indicated he was ripe for prosecution this time, but Tinubu’s intervention halted their move.
Sources within the anti-graft agency confirmed that they had been awaiting a presidential go-ahead to arrest Obasa, but that signal never came—an indication of the First Lady’s influence in the matter.
Despite the ongoing corruption allegations, Obasa made a daring return to Nigeria from the U.S. last week, receiving a rousing welcome from supporters.
At a press conference following his return, Obasa denied all allegations against him, insisting that his impeachment was unconstitutional and politically motivated.
“If you want to claim that I’m corrupt, please prove it, let us see it,” Obasa declared.
In the 2023 general elections, President Tinubu lost Alimosho to the Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who secured 71,327 votes compared to Tinubu’s 62,909 votes.
Tinubu is reportedly keen on strengthening APC’s hold on Lagos ahead of 2027, making Obasa a strategic political asset despite his corruption allegations.