Lagos speakership: Tinubu not reinstating Obasa —Source

The Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) will, on Monday, meet to discuss the speakership crisis at the Lagos State House of Assembly and not the possibility of Mudashiru Obasa returning as speaker.

A member of the apex advisory body in the state, who spoke in confidence with the Nigerian Tribune, also dismissed the narration that President Bola Tinubu has ordered the reinstatement of the erstwhile speaker.

The state assembly has been embroiled in controversy crisis since the removal of Honourable Mudashiru Obasa as speaker by lawmakers on January 13.

He was subsequently replaced by his deputy, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, as speaker of the 10th assembly.

However, Obasa’s removal has polarised the leadership of the party following media reports and narrations from different camps clamouring for his reinstatement as speaker of the Assembly.

A top-ranking member of the GAC ruled out the possibility of Obasa returning as speaker.

He also dismissed media reports that President Tinubu has ordered his reinstatement, alleging that the media of overhyping the political status of the Agege Constituency 1 lawmaker.

The source said: “We are meeting tomorrow, Monday to discuss the Lagos State House of Assembly and not Obasa. If you observed, the GAC sent a delegation comprising members of the Council and the leadership of the Lagos Assembly to meet with President Bola Tinubu. At the meeting, the issue was discussed and solutions were proffered.

“So, all what the people are saying about the return of Obasa is a fallacy. They are orchestrated by his loyalists. Such order was not from the president. I want you to know that he cannot be reinstated because he was the first speaker to be removed by members of the House.

“We all know the president as a thoroughbred democrat and do you think he would want to be given a bad name?

“Since the episode of his removal, if you see any chieftain of the party, politician or members of the GAC clamouring for the return of Obasa, such person is not being sincere.”

The tussle over speakership seat at the assembly has also caused disaffection and divergent views among members of the GAC, as those belonging to the Justice Forum (JF) and members of the Mandate Movement (MM) are not on the same page.

Obasa, a member of the Mandate Movement, has the support and backing of members of the Movement at the GAC, while members of the Justice Forum are opposed to his return.

Speaking to this, the source said people should discountenance such narrative because there is no disagreement among members of the GAC over Obasa’s removal or reinstatement as speaker.

The source added; “The leadership tussle at the Assembly has nothing to do with the Mandate Movement and the Justice Forum. It is entirely an Assembly affairs. There is no original leader of the party that has been steadfast with Tinubu since 1999 that will be pushing for such narratives.

“Those members of the GAC that are clamouring for the return of Obasa are not sincere. They are those that have jumped from one party to another and thereafter, return to the progressives fold. Go and check their antecedents.  This is not about MM or JF.

‘We have a political structure that is strong enough in Lagos state. We are gifted to have a political father that is like Tinubu. Are we saying because the President is enmeshed in solving the problems of the country, he is no longer the leader of Lagos politics?

“He cannot allow the political space of the state to be toxic and shaky. We are meeting on Monday at the level of the GAC to discuss happenings at the Assembly and not Obasa.

“People should stop exaggerating him. The first speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Barrister Osinowo during the Jakande era was removed, so what’s the fuse about Honourable Mudashiru Obasa being removed as speaker?”

“Some are even saying Tinubu is reinstating him because he knows too much and that he has enough information to nail the president’s reason he ordered his return. What does he know about the president?

“What does he know that former governors and speakers in the state didn’t know? What is new about Tinubu that only Obasa knows? Like I keep saying Obasa is overhyped and that’s responsible for all the falsehood in the media space.”

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