LAGOS — Members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the highest advisory body in Lagos State, were divided yesterday over the impeachment of former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
Prominent members of the GAC, including former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musliu Obanikoro, and Senator Anthony Adefuye, expressed conflicting views on the legality and process behind Obasa’s removal.
While Adefuye voiced his belief that Obasa’s impeachment was unlawful, Obanikoro dismissed Adefuye’s position as “careless.” The disagreement highlights the political tensions surrounding the issue.
Senator Adefuye, in a recent interview, stated his disagreement with the decision to remove Obasa, asserting that the process was faulty. “I agree with him that the procedure was flawed,” Adefuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), remarked.
In response, Obanikoro criticized Adefuye’s public comments, calling them “unfortunate, childish, and inconsequential.” The former Minister emphasized the importance of respecting hierarchy in political matters, particularly within organizations like the GAC. “It is irresponsible for any member of GAC to make such comments before an official pronouncement has been made,” he said.
Meanwhile, GAC Secretary Mr. Mutiu Are sought to quell the growing tensions by urging calm. He reassured that the matter would be resolved “in a family way” within the council, acknowledging that GAC had its mechanisms to handle such sensitive issues. “We’ll resolve everything,” Are stated, refraining from taking sides.
In a related development, the Assembly of Lagos Youths, led by Mr. Lasisi Robert, declared Obasa’s impeachment final, dismissing his claims of an illegal removal. Robert insisted that Obasa no longer represented the people of Lagos and criticized his attempts to undermine the constitutional process. “Obasa’s statement is an invitation to anarchy,” he said, calling for the Governor of Lagos State to enhance security around the House of Assembly to prevent potential unrest.
A socio-political group, Lovers of Lagos, also weighed in, demanding the arrest of Obasa for continuing to occupy the official residence designated for the Speaker, despite his removal. In a statement, the group’s Secretary-General, Yinka Olatunji, expressed concern over Obasa’s return to the residence, now under the authority of the newly appointed Speaker, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda. “It is expected for him to vacate the official residence,” Olatunji said, urging police intervention to prevent any potential chaos.
Obasa, who had been in Abuja since January 18 in a bid to appeal the impeachment decision to President Bola Tinubu, was unable to reverse the outcome, despite garnering support from some of his constituents in Agege. His return to Lagos on January 25 has heightened tensions, with supporters gathering around his former residence in Ikeja GRA, which no longer serves as his official home.
The situation remains fluid, with both supporters and opponents of Obasa closely monitoring the unfolding events. Political observers are calling for a swift resolution to avoid further unrest.
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