•The Inside Story Revealed!
Over the last few months, there is one politician who has dominated the political scene in Lagos like a colossus. Everywhere you go to, he is being talked about. What people talk about is the enormous powers Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa wields.
Many are still amazed at the drama of how he was removed as Speaker when he was abroad in the US, came back, fought back, staged a coup and got back his seat, adjourned the sitting of the house and has locked up the Lagos State House of Assembly ever since. And like the popular joke in town, he is the only man who can lock up the House. And keep the keys until he is ready to make the house sit.
Since Obasa returned from his US triphe has continued to wield a lot of power and influence and no politician has been able to stand up to him, so far.
He enjoys the confidence and support of President Bola Tinubu who is the strongman of Lagos politics.
During the recent Abuja meeting between Tinubu, Obasa and the Lawmakers, the President told the Lawmakers to return Obasa back to saddle and let peace reign.
As you read this, peace has not returned to the House, as some of the members feel bitter and are still unhappy at the turn of events in the House.
The relationship between the Governor and the Speaker has also been at an all time low. Both are not on speaking terms. And we hear the Speaker is unhappy with the Governor over the alleged role that the Governor played. Sources say Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa believes the Governor was one of the those who gave the lawmakers the backing for his removal and he is eager to repay him back in his own coin.
There are rumours that some of those in the Speaker’s camp are behind the anti-Sanwo Olu forces, who have been making surreptitious moves to tackle the Governor.
Over the last few months many Lagosians have watched in a state of shock how all these drama has been unfolding on a daily basis.
Recall that he was in the US when he was impeached but the moment he returned to Lagos, he addressed his supporters and insisted that he remains the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
So drammatic is the situation that the DSS has been dragged into the matter. So also the Police.
The question on many lips is why the APC leaders in Lagos, have not been able to resolve the crisis, and why they allowed it degenerate into a full scale crisis.
Many have also wondered why Pres. Tinubu, did not stepped in on time. Lagos is his political base. And it is a well known fact that he is in firm control of the political situation in Lagos, especially as it concerns Lagos APC.
So, why didn’t he call both Obasa and the Lawmakers to order for weeks. Why did he leave the crisis to degenerate?
City People can authoritatively reveal that it is because the ranks of the APC leaders in Lagos State are divided. While some APC leaders were in support of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda & the Lawmakers who voted Obasa out, some other Lagos APC leaders are right behind Obasa. These are the leaders who Obasa has been loyal to.
We gathered that though Pres. Tinubu, did not initially support the removal of Obasa, his view is that Obasa having been a loyal party man over the years, be given soft landing.
The ranks of the Governance Advisory Council is also divided, some supported Rt. Hon. Meranda, whilst some others are for Obasa.
This explains why several party meetings that have been held over the last few months have failed.
There are obviously 2 camps.
There is the pro-Meranda camp who insist that Obasa was properly impeached and so the situation be left as it is.
There is also the pro-Obasa camp which insist that Obasa was not properly removed, because the lawmakers didn’t follow laid down procedures. Obasa himself says the House was on recess and not in session. He has gone to court to seek redress.
Insiders reveal that what has emboldened Obasa, is the tremendous support he is getting from the highest levels within the Lagos APC.
Some of them have advised him to fight back.
When Hon. Stephen Ogundipe led the pro-Meranda group to address the press, a few weeks back, he revealed how frustrated they were. He spoke about how the party leadership stepped in but was talking only to Obasa and not carrying them along. Questions have been raised regarding why Hon. Mudashiru Obasa’s case is proving difficult to resolve, especially for the APC’s apex group, known as the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), in the state. City People has learned that Obasa’s removal as Speaker divided the GAC into 2 factions: one supporting Obasa and the other backing the new Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Meranda.
In exploring the reasons why the GAC, regarded as the APC’s apex decision-making body in the state, has struggled to resolve the crisis, sources indicated that Hon. Obasa, who is affiliated with the Mandate Group of the APC in Lagos, is reluctant to allow his faction to falter easily. The two political groups in the state—the Justice Forum and the Mandate Group—are actively lobbying for more influential appointments. The Justice Forum, being the older of the two, feels sidelined and believes this is an opportunity to assert their political significance. Thus, what we are witnessing is a battle between the two groups over political influence and appointments.
Why is Obasa fighting back so strongly? We can tell you. A source revealed that Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa is fighting back strongly because he believes his impeachment as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly was unconstitutional. He claims that the process of his removal was flawed and that due process was not followed.
Obasa is particularly up.
