The removal of the embattled lawmaker, Mudasiru Obasa, as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has created cracks in President Bola Tinubu’s dynasty. Ismaeel Uthman writes
There are indications that President Bola Tinubu’s decades-long political dynasty in Lagos is experiencing its first major crisis following the intrigues surrounding the removal of the embattled lawmaker, Mudasiru Obasa, as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Obasa’s removal and the support given to the lawmakers by many Governances Advisory Council members without consulting Tinubu signal an unexpected political move within the All-Progressives Congress, a party where the President remains the state and national leader.
Previously, it was widely believed that the President approved Obasa’s removal before the state lawmakers took action.
However, sources close to Tinubu and familiar with Lagos APC politics revealed that the President was not consulted before the lawmakers took the decision.
According to the sources, the President was embarrassed that such a significant political move was executed without his knowledge and was puzzled why many GAC members would support the decision.
Obasa was removed as Speaker on January 13 by 36 lawmakers over allegations of misconduct, abuse of office, and financial mismanagement.
The Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, was immediately sworn in as the new Speaker, while the Chief Whip, Mojeed Fatai, was elected as the new Deputy Speaker.
Obasa, who had been Speaker since 2015 and represents Agege Constituency I, insisted upon his return to Lagos from the United States that he remained the speaker.
His removal has since divided the GAC caucus and the APC in Lagos.
To assert his authority, President Tinubu, according to sources, directed GAC members to persuade Lagos lawmakers to reinstate Obasa and allow him to resign.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that the GAC members held a marathon meeting on Monday at the Governor’s Lodge in Marina, Lagos, where they conveyed the President’s directive to the lawmakers.
However, despite apologising to Tinubu at the meeting and reaffirming their loyalty to the President, the lawmakers reportedly insisted that Obasa would not be reinstated.
Of the 39 lawmakers present at the meeting, 37 voted against Obasa’s reinstatement.
It was gathered that the members agreed to write a letter of apology to the President explaining why Obasa could not be reinstated.
A viral video on social media showed some APC members dancing and singing praises of the new Lagos Assembly Speaker, urging her to continue her speakership.
According to sources, six GAC members chosen across the three senatorial districts of the state travelled to Abuja on Wednesday to deliver the lawmakers’ letter to Tinubu.
However, for undisclosed reasons, they were unable to meet with the President.
Providing insight into the crisis, a prominent APC chieftain with knowledge of the ongoing intrigues described the development as a major political challenge for Tinubu.
According to the source, the Lagos progressive family would never remain the same due to the political machinations.
He explained that the crisis was driven by three major political factors: the 2027 governorship election, the rivalry between the Justice Forum and Mandate caucuses within the APC, and the ambitions of Lagos indigenes to dominate the state’s political structure.
Sunday PUNCH learned that Obasa belonged to the Mandate group, while many of the lawmakers and GAC members were affiliated with the Justice Forum.
The APC chieftain stated that many GAC members, particularly Lagos indigenes, initiated Obasa’s removal to stifle his governorship ambition.
He also noted that the power struggle between the Mandate group and the Justice Forum over the control of the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 elections played a significant role in Obasa’s ouster.
“The President is not happy that the lawmakers and the GAC acted in this manner. He feels betrayed. You know the level of control he has in Lagos. Nobody wields absolute power without other forces supporting them, especially in Lagos politics. For them to have taken such action without his blessing, it amounts to disloyalty and a betrayal of trust.
“The situation now is a test of wills—who will blink first? The President has insisted that they comply with his directive to reinstate Obasa, but they have not done so. It is almost as if they are challenging Tinubu’s authority in Lagos.
“This is an unusual development. Even before Tinubu became President, he maintained control over the state. Now, they are dealing with someone who has always emerged victorious in political battles. Even when he faced challenges in the primaries and the presidential election, he still prevailed. This crisis is a significant test for him,” the source said.
The APC chieftain confirmed that the GAC members who travelled to Abuja were denied an audience with the President.
“Those who went to Abuja were not granted audience. If anyone claims otherwise, they are merely playing politics.
“After this, the APC and the progressive structure in Lagos may change permanently. What happened is unprecedented. This crisis has created distrust. Political betrayal of this magnitude cannot be overlooked. It necessitates a strategic realignment to prevent a recurrence. If you are betrayed once, you might gain public sympathy. But if it happens again, it becomes a liability,” the source said.
Speaking on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s role in the crisis, the APC chieftain declared, “The governor is playing the devil’s advocate. Some say he is the major financier of this entire situation and is the one ensuring that the President’s directive is not followed.”
Sanwo-Olu had earlier distanced himself from Obasa’s removal, describing it as strictly a legislative affair devoid of political interference from the state government.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, in an interview with the PUNCH, said, “It is purely a legislative matter, and the Assembly handled it the best way they could. It has nothing to do with the governor.”
But the source reiterated that the current political crisis was part of the permutations ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
He said, “It is a matter of getting a stumbling block out of the way. It is a game where the end justifies the means.