‘I’ve nothing to hide’, Lagos Speaker Obasa reacts to EFCC invitation

The Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has said he honoured his invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) because he has nothing to hide.

EFCC on Thursday questioned Mr Obasa over allegations of fraud and financial misappropriation.

But in a short statement on Thursday, the lawmaker said he was obliged to honour the invitation.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission invited me today (Thursday). As a responsible citizen and lawmaker, I honoured the invitation. I have nothing to hide.

“When we are called upon by law-enforcement agents in their investigations, as responsible citizens, it’s our duty to oblige them.”

The spokesperson of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, on Thursday confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Obasa, who is serving a second consecutive term as speaker of the State House Assembly, had honoured invitation by the EFCC to respond to the allegations.

“All I can confirm for now is that he was invited and responded to the invitation today,” Mr Uwujaren had said.

Sahara Reporters had months ago reported that Mr Obasa owned more than 60 bank accounts, through which he misused public funds.

The news portal also accused him of awarding contracts to himself using different companies as fronts.

In June, a nine-member panel of the state assembly declared that the speaker did no wrong and cleared him of the allegations. The committee was headed by Victor Akande, the representative of Ojo Constituency.

Speaking before the panel, Mr Obasa described the allegations against him as “unfounded.” He said his approval limit as the speaker of the House was N100 million.

The anti-corruption agency had also secured an order of the Federal High Court in Lagos for an interim forfeiture of three bank accounts allegedly linked with the speaker.

The order followed a suit, number FHC/L/CS/1069/2020, in which the EFCC sought an ex-parte order to freeze Mr Obasa’s three bank accounts with the Standard Chartered Bank pending the conclusion of an ongoing investigation into the allegations of diversion of funds, abuse of office and money laundering levelled against him.

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PREMIUM TIMES obtained the certified true copy of the ruling which was issued on September 15 and was signed by the court’s registrar, Adebimpe Oni.

The account details as contained in the order include a United States dollar account with the number 001852963; current account (0018552956) and a savings account (5002349821).

The anti-graft agency said it filed the matter “Pursuant to section 44 (2) (K) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and section 26, 29, and 34 (1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, and under the inherent jurisdiction of this honourable court.”