Cracks in Tinubu’s dynasty as president locks horn with Lagos lawmakers, GAC over Obasa

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 Governance 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.

“The politics of 2027 has begun. Perhaps uncharacteristically, the speaker (Obasa) showed his hand too early, making himself a target for attack and destruction. After that infamous budget speech, Obasa became an easy target for those with similar ambitions.

“He gave them the opportunity to work against him, brainwashing members of the House about issues they were already aware of. They played it tough, making it seem as though the Speaker had been exploiting them.”

However, a top politician in the Lagos West senatorial district, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, dismissed the claim that Obasa was removed due to indigenous factors.

According to the aspirant, the lawmakers removed Obasa because he was hampering their political and social well-being.

He argued that if the former speaker had maintained good relations with his colleagues, he would have been aware of the plot to remove him.

“What happened is a crisis within the legislature; it has nothing to do with being an indigene or not, nor with the 2027 governorship election. The fact that 36 out of 40 lawmakers orchestrated Obasa’s removal without him knowing in advance speaks volumes. It confirms reports that he did not have a good relationship with the lawmakers,” he said.

Speaking on the reported directive from the President to reinstate Obasa as Speaker, the APC aspirant warned that such a move would backfire and have devastating consequences for the party in future elections.

He said, “Removing the new Speaker will cause more crises for the party. Besides, how do we confirm that the President even gave such a directive? It could be a case of name-dropping. Assuming the directive is real, implementing it would be difficult because it would be seen as an attack on the indigenes.

“The new Speaker and her deputy are both Lagos indigenes. She is already receiving strong support from feminists and other female-led groups. Removing her would have a ripple effect on the party.”

Commenting on the crisis, a chieftain of the APC, Joe Igbokwe, said the matter wouldn’t go out of hand, saying ‘the bubble will not burst.’

He expressed his confidence in the ability of the GAC to manage the crisis, maintaining that there was no cause for alarm.

Igbokwe who spoke with Sunday PUNCH, said, “Lagos is Lagos and when the chips are down, everybody comes to the table and addresses the matter. Lagos has come a long way in matters of democracy and how to handle things like this. There are strong elders among the GAC members who will sit down, look into the matter, and try to resolve whatever it is.

“GAC is one body that I respect in Lagos; the bubble will not burst. There is no cause for alarm. Given my experience in Lagos politics, in which I have worked for almost 20 years, members of the GAC are committed and strong-willed. They have wisdom and understanding; they know when to go and when to stop, so there is no cause for worry.

“There is nothing GAC cannot manage; the current issue will not get out of hand. No man can change the system of Lagos, and one man cannot cause division in GAC. It is a kind of collective responsibility, and they are always united in anything they do.”

A chieftain of the APC, Fouad Oki, had on Wednesday cautioned the party leadership against prolonging the crisis, warning that doing so would be dangerous.

He urged GAC members to respect the independence of the House of Assembly and acknowledge the broad support the new Speaker, Meranda, had received from various sections of society.

Oki said, “This bold statement reflects a desire for progress and reform. It is imperative that we, as leaders of the APC, do not dismiss the voices of the people. Ignoring this sentiment could lead to political dangers that may jeopardise our party’s standing and unity.

“I urge you to consider the implications of prolonging this discord. Let us not allow our internal disagreements to overshadow the greater goal of serving the people of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.”