How Tinubu and GAC Leaders Sealed Obasa’s Fate in the Lagos Speakership Crisis

By Zara Maisango 

After weeks of intense political maneuvering and a subsisting court case over the removal of Hon. Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in conjunction with key leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), brokered a resolution that is widely considered a win-win for all parties involved.

Sources within the Presidential Villa revealed that Tinubu had been in consultations with several prominent party stalwarts, including former APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba; Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake; and a former commissioner in Lagos State. Notably, a respected nonagenarian from the South-West (name withheld) had also met with the president, pleading for a resolution to the crisis as a special birthday request.

Tinubu, recognizing the potential fallout of the crisis, engaged different stakeholders, each providing perspectives on the legal, political, and social ramifications of allowing the situation to escalate. Despite some damage already being done, the consensus was clear—Obasa’s removal was final, as the Assembly laws provided clear guidelines on the election and removal of a Speaker.

However, while Obasa’s exit was settled, there were strong pleas for a political soft-landing. To this end, it was agreed that rather than outright removal, his exit should be officially recorded as a resignation—mirroring a similar scenario involving former Deputy Speaker Hon. Funmi Tejuosho.

Attention then shifted to the fate of the newly installed Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Meranda. Tinubu, keen on advancing women's representation in Lagos politics, faced a dilemma. However, Meranda’s position became untenable due to Lagos' political zoning arrangement. With Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu hailing from Lagos Central and his deputy from Lagos East, leaving Meranda—a Lagos Central representative—as Speaker would sideline Lagos West, the state's largest senatorial district.

The president, reluctant to seem dismissive of female leadership, even considered if another qualified woman from Lagos West could be nominated. Unfortunately, the only viable female legislator from that region was a first-term member of the opposition Labour Party, making her selection politically impractical.

In the end, it was resolved that Meranda should also resign, paving the way for a Speaker from Lagos West to restore the balance in the state’s power-sharing equation.

Despite the resolution, Tinubu was reportedly displeased with how Obasa’s removal blindsided him. As the political leader of Lagos and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he considered it a breach of protocol for such a major development to unfold without his prior knowledge. However, after numerous interventions, he decided to move forward, prioritizing stability over grievances.

Ultimately, the decision to replace Obasa and restructure the Assembly leadership reaffirmed Tinubu’s grip on Lagos politics, reinforcing his role as the ultimate power broker in the state’s political landscape.