By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, has rubbished media reports that he was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It was reported on Thursday that the number three citizen in Lagos State, who doubles as chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, was detained by the anti-graft agency.
Mr Obasa has been in the news recently, with a popular online news platform, Sahara Reporters, publishing reports alleging him of fraud.
The news platform claimed that the Speaker abused his office and perpetrated some frauds by approving funds to his close allies, including an alleged mistress.
He was also accused of opening several bank accounts with different names and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), which should never be in the first place. He was further accused of lying about his educational qualification.
But Mr Obasa has maintained that he never committed fraud or used his office to approve funds to his close pals and relatives as alleged.
When Sahara Reporters published these allegations in a series of reports, many called on the EFCC to investigate the Speaker, especially because of the documents that accompanied the reports.
So, it was not a surprise to some Nigerians yesterday when it was reported that Mr Obasa was already in the custody of the agency for questioning.
But the Speaker said in a statement that he was never detained as reported, noting that he merely honoured an invitation to appear before the EFCC.
“As a good citizen of Nigeria, a public officer and lawmaker, it was just justified that I honour an invitation by an agency trying to find out some answers relating to some questions.
“It is normal for the EFCC to invite whoever it deems should be invited. Honouring the invitation simply shows patriotism,” Mr Obasa said in a statement released by his media office.
According to the statement, the Speaker has since returned home, emphasising that he was never detained by the EFCC.
Adedapo Adesanya