- APC moves to save party from implosion as Tinubu insists on political balancing
- Meranda may resign, why Obasa will not return as speaker, how new speaker will emerge
- Governor Sanwo-Olu troubled by developments
In a last-ditch effort to save the ruling All Progressives Congress from sliding into implosion in Lagos State following the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the Governance Advisory Council has moved to resolve the controversy trailing the embattled former speaker.
Indication emerged on Monday that the GAC members held a crucial closed-door meeting at an undisclosed venue to forge a common front in resolving the matter.
An APC chieftain who spoke in confidence with THE POINT, said that the members met, based on the directive of President Bola Tinubu tovv step in to save the party from sliding into implosion.
The GAC is the apex decision-making organ of APC, whose decisions are binding on members. The council is led by Pa Tajudeen Olusi (89), with President Tinubu as its Lifetime Patron.
The group is made up of past governors, deputy governors, senators, elders, leaders and chieftains of the party.
Some of the members are: Henry Ajomale, Bushura Alebiosu, Abiodun Ogunleye, Murphy Adetoro, James Odunmbaku, Anthony Adefuye, S. A. Seriki, Olorunfunmi Bashorun, Rabiu Oluwa, Muriano Taiwo, Mutiu Lawal Are, Yomi Finnih, Muyiwa Sosanya, Tunde Samuel, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Muda Obasa, Babatunde Balogun, Wale Edun, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode, Ranti Adebule, Senators Ganiu Solomon, Musiliu Obanikoro, among others.
Barring last minute changes, THE POINT reliably gathered that the newly appointed Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, may resign from the position before the week runs out.
Also, contrary to media reports that President Tinubu has directed that Obasa should be returned as the Speaker, it was gathered that the president never gave such an order.
However, the President was quoted to have said that the choice of Meranda had thoughtlessly altered the Lagos State zonal political configuration.
It was gathered that the President expressed disappointment at the hurried manner Obasa’s removal was done without enough stakeholders’ inputs.
According to the sources, the president said he felt shocked, adding that “he was made to know about Obasa’s removal like every other person on the streets which he vehemently considered highly discourteous.”
The President noted that being an important stakeholder in the Lagos project, the GAC leaders, including the party leadership and their allies in the executive arm who masterminded the removal of Obasa as the speaker should have extended the courtesy of briefing him before embarking upon such a volatile political expedition.
President Tinubu was said to have pointed out an unforgivable political gaffe committed by the legislators in terms of their choice of Meranda thereby insensitively altering Lagos State zonal political configuration.
“How do you expect me to explain to Lagosians that l stood by and allowed the governor and the new speaker to come from Lagos Central geo-political zone while also the current deputy governor and the deputy speaker both hailing from the Lagos East part of the centre of excellence while leaving out Lagos West where Obasa hails from,” the president was quoted as saying.
It was gathered that the president considered the scenario created as “indefensible and unjust to the good people of Lagos West with the highest number of local governments, population and voters in Lagos State.”
A breakdown of figures using the 20 constitutionally listed local government council’s areas in Lagos State clearly highlighted the president’s helpful position.
The Lagos West senatorial district controls 10 local council areas including Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikeja, Mushin, Ojo and Oshodi-Isolo.
Lagos Central controls only five local government councils including Apapa, Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Surulere.
Lagos East equally controls five local government councils’ areas that include Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe, and Somolu.
The president noted that the current unfair arrangement foisted by the stakeholders in the legislative confusion that removed Obasa cannot stand and should not be allowed to stand.
For the sake of meaningful geo-political balancing of Lagos State, it was gathered that President Tinubu directed the GAC leaders to either remove Meranda, the new speaker or, remove Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the sake of equitable balancing and political peace across the zones in Lagos.
Governor Sanwo-Olu is said to be troubled by the developments because he is not ready to sacrifice his position for Meranda to stay as the speaker.
Consequently, Meranda might be directed to step down any time since the governor is interested in retaining his position.
An impeccable source in the APC told THE POINT on Monday that “in the name of political balancing, the House of Assembly should find a replacement for Meranda from the Lagos West Senatorial District excluding Obasa.”
He said that the lawmakers are unanimous in their agitation that they don’t want him (Obasa) again.
The source noted that there are eight ranking lawmakers in the West Senatorial District who can become the new Speaker.
He listed some of them as Kehinde Olaide Joseph, Alimoso II; Nureni Ayinde Akinsanya, Mushin I; Temitope Adedeji Adewale, Ifako-Ijaiye I; David Samuel Setonji, Badagry II; Adedamola Richard Kasumu, Ikeja II; and Saheed Olumo, Ajeromi-Ifelodun I.
Recall that Obasa was removed in absentia by 32 out of 40 members of the state House of Assembly on January 13, 2025, over alleged financial misappropriation, misconduct, and high-handedness, among other things.
He was replaced by his erstwhile deputy Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as substantive speaker, leading to conflicting reactions among members of the GAC, party faithful, and the general public.
However, the divergent views among GAC members stemmed from two groups within the council, which included members of the Justice Forum and the Mandate Movement.
Some of the notable, influential members of MM are Obasa, Cardinal James Odumbaku, Adefuye, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, Tayo Ayinde, members of the state House of Assembly, and some chairmen of Conference 57.
The JF members include Prince Olusi, as chairman, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, the newly appointed state Coordinator for JF and member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Faleke.
While the MM members in GAC support Obasa, the JF members are indifferent about the removal saga.
However, after Obasa’s removal, the unfolding events further polarised the ranks of GAC, prompting President Tinubu to intercede.
When THE POINT called for his reactions, Chief Tajudeen Olusi neither picked up the calls placed to his mobile line on Monday nor responded to a WhatsApp message.