The Governance Advisory Council (GAC) of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to meet today to discuss the ongoing speakership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Naijaonpoint reports that the group will not deliberate on the reinstatement of Mudashiru Obasa.
A member of the GAC, who spoke anonymously to the Nigerian Tribune, dismissed reports that President Bola Tinubu had ordered Obasa’s reinstatement, describing such claims as misleading narratives pushed by his loyalists.
The Lagos Assembly has been mired in controversy since Obasa’s removal as Speaker on January 13, after which he was replaced by Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as Speaker of the 10th Assembly.
Obasa’s ouster has divided the party’s leadership, with some factions advocating for his return. However, a high-ranking GAC member dismissed these efforts as baseless.
“Our meeting on Monday (today) is about the Lagos State House of Assembly crisis, not about Obasa,” the source stated.
“The GAC had already sent a delegation, including Assembly leadership, to meet with President Tinubu. The issue was discussed, and solutions were provided. The claim that the President ordered Obasa’s return is a fallacy orchestrated by his loyalists.”
The source further emphasized: “He was the first Speaker to be removed by his colleagues, and no one, including the President, is interested in reversing that decision. Tinubu is a democrat and would not interfere in this way.”
The speakership crisis has also led to disagreements within the GAC, particularly between two influential factions: The Mandate Movement (MM), which supports Obasa, and The Justice Forum (JF), which opposes his return.
However, the GAC source dismissed any suggestion that the crisis was a factional battle, insisting that Obasa’s removal was strictly an Assembly matter.
“The leadership tussle has nothing to do with the Mandate Movement or the Justice Forum. Those calling for Obasa’s return are not being sincere. They are individuals who have moved between parties and are now back in the APC. This is not about party factions,” he explained.
The source reiterated that the GAC meeting is focused on ensuring stability in the Lagos Assembly rather than reconsidering Obasa’s position.
“We have a strong political structure in Lagos, and Tinubu remains its leader. However, he is focused on national governance and will not allow Lagos politics to become toxic and shaky,” the source added.
He also dismissed claims that Obasa’s knowledge of Tinubu’s political dealings was the reason for the alleged push for his reinstatement.
“What does Obasa know that past governors and speakers didn’t know? His influence is overhyped, and that’s why there’s so much falsehood in the media,” he concluded.