•30 Men With Powers To Make Or Mar Gov
•How Obasa’s Impeachment Worsened Conflict In Group
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The crisis rocking Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has escalated as critics are challenging the continued existence of the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, a body created by President Bola Tinubu as governor, as an apex decision-making body in Lagos politics.
Recent developments have put the body, made up of old and new schools members, under intense pressure amid criticism regarding its essence and continued existence given the polarization within the group.
Critics say the GAC has outlived its usefulness and has become a burden on Tinubu and the state government, hence the calls from certain quarters for its abolition.
About GAC
GAC, founded in 1999 by Tinubu, then-governor of Lagos State, shot into the limelight in 2007 and has since functioned as a platform through which Tinubu controls the party structure in the state.
Behind him, however, are numerous influential forces, executing policies.
The GAC is essentially an organ of the Lagos APC steering the state’s affairs from behind the scenes since 2007, initially under the Alliance for Democracy, AD, later under the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and now the APC.
As the ultimate power bloc in Lagos politics, the GAC, from engineering the stopping of the former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s second term to the recent removal of Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, continues to assert its dominance in the state politics.
The group, headed by Prince Tajudeen Olusi, has 30 members, including ex-governors, ex-deputy governors, ex-speakers, former and incumbent senators, and elder statesmen and women.
They include Tinubu; his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Otunba Alebiosu Bushura; Prince Rabiu Oluwa; Alhaji Shakiru Seriki; Alhaji Mutiu Are; Mr. Tony Adefuye; Chief M. A. Taiwo; Abiodun Ogunleye; Chief Dele Ajomale; Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun; Cardinal James Odunmbaku’ Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; Mr Babatunde Fashola, and Omooba Murphy Adetoro.
Others are Omooba Olumuyiwa Sosanya, Dr. Finnih Oluyomi, Mr Wale Edun, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Pastor Cornelius Oyefolu Ojelabi, Mr Femi Pedro, Dame Sarah Adebisi Sosan, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Mrs Adejoke Orelope, Chief Sunny Akinsanya Ajose, (now late), Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Tayo, member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, Hon James Faleke, and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe.
These are the powerful politicians behind the decisions that govern the affairs of over 24 million Lagos residents.
Splinter groups
The group is divided into two camps, namely Justice Forum, JF, and Mandate Movement, MM.
Some of the influential members of MM are Obasa, Odumbaku, Adefuye, Solomon, Ayinde, some members of the state House of Assembly and some Chairmen of Conference 57, while JF members include Olusi as Chairman, Orelope-Adefulire, Obanikoro, Hamzat (deputy governor) and Faleke.
Other members of the body who are neither here nor there are Fashola, Ikuforiji and Pedro.
The governor is naturally a member of the group. Therefore, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu is a member.
State of origin
Segregation on the basis of state of origin is also an issue within the GAC as Lagos indigenes in the body, it was learnt, usually have their separate meetings, thereby drawing the ire of the likes of Odunmbaku, Alebiosu, Adefuye, Hamzat, Taiwo, Obasa, Are, and Sanwo-Olu. Except Are who is from Ibadan, Oyo State, all the others aforementioned are from Ogun State.
While Tinubu is adjudged the political godfather in Lagos, the GAC’s activities, over the years, have shown that the group is, sometimes, more influential than whoever occupies the governor’s office.
The group approves who becomes the governor, deputy governor and speaker, among others important positions in the state.
Obasa’s alleged sins
It is no doubt that the GAC plays a prominent role in the current imbroglio confronting the Lagos State House of Assembly following the removal of Obasa from his exalted seat, even though the lawmakers executed the removal. Obasa’s membership of the GAC couldn’t save him. His removal was as swift as his replacement.
However, while the conversation about his impeachment significantly centered on his undoing, political observers could see the GAC’s hands all over the case.
Obasa had been accused of financial mismanagement involving ¦ 44 billion allocated for vehicles and capital projects over two years.
Alleged vehicle allocations
A significant portion of the controversy had stemmed from the Assembly’s vehicle budget. According to available official records on the Lagos House of Assembly Budget Performance for 2023, ¦ 30.19 billion was allocated for vehicles, including official cars, utility buses, and backup vehicles. Another ¦ 13.33 billion was earmarked for vehicles in 2024.
However, it was alleged that no vehicles were purchased in 2023 while it was also alleged that only a small fraction of the 2024 allocation has been accounted for.
Also, critics have raised questions over alleged financial irregularities by Obasa’s administration of allocating funds for projects. On the ¦ 1.1 billion for properties in 2023, critics argued that this expenditure was excessive, particularly when essential sectors like education, healthcare, and infrastructure are underfunded.
On the ¦ 126 million allocated for properties in Abuja in 2024, the allocation has raised eyebrows with many questioning why the state’s funds are being spent outside its jurisdiction.
On the ¦ 15.65 billion allocated for office construction in 2023 and 2024, critics query the necessity of this project, alleging it is unclear, as many Assembly offices were reportedly functional before the upgrade. Obasa was also accused of spending N17 billion on the fixing of the House of Assembly Complex gate. Critics say these expenditures suggest a troubling pattern of fiscal mismanagement and misplaced priorities. Obasa has denied allegations of wrongdoing.
Frosty relationship
Obasa’s leadership reportedly faced resistance from within the Assembly. Lawmakers who joined the House in 2023, along with some older members, challenged the former speaker’s financial decisions and demanded more transparency and accountability.
GAC’s axe
Amid the corruption allegations levelled against Obasa, the GAC’s axe, according to sources, fell on Obasa because he allegedly overstepped his bounds, disrespected the state governor’s office, and externalized party issues without restraint.
According to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Muiz Banire, disrupting the party structure is considered an unforgivable sin in Lagos politics.
Banire noted that, as an experienced politician, the former speaker should understand that opposing the interests of the GAC will inevitably lead to his political oblivion.
Without a doubt, Obasa’s impeachment lends credence to the group’s influence and demonstrates that the Tinubus aren’t the only powerhouse in Lagos.
Saving Fashola
For instance, it was the council reportedly saved then-Governor Fashola when he sought re-election amid his purported estrangement with Tinubu.
Mrs Kemi Nelson, a deceased GAC member, confirmed the conflict between Fashola and Tinubu in an interview she granted before the 2011 general elections.
Nelson said at the time, “There could be disagreement here and there. That is normal even between a father and son in the house. They will disagree to agree. If they don’t disagree, that means something is wrong.”
Even, when Tinubu downplayed the conflict and alleged plan to drop Fashola, GAC, Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos and the public sentiment, Sunday Vanguard learnt, worked significantly in his favour as political analysts warned that the ruling party would be committing political suicide if it failed to present Fashola for re-election.
Eventually, Fashola survived the battle unlike his successor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.
The Ambode saga
The GAC got public attention in 2019, when the group stood against Ambode, blocking his second term ticket on the platform of the APC.
Although the details of the conflict between the council and Ambode were not made public, his ‘sin’ was said to have been predicated on the narrative that the GAC members and party chieftains did not get the desired attention from then-governor.
But another narrative indicated that Ambode did not have issues with the GAC but with Tinubu.
And anyone in Tinubu’s black book automatically becomes a black sheep.
Despite entreaties, meetings, and even intervention by then-President Muhammadu Buhari to secure Ambode’s return ticket, the GAC allegedly asked him to test his popularity in a primary contest where he was the underdog – despite being a governor.
After losing the primary, he disappeared from the Lagos political scene but remained a party member.
Prelude to Obasa’s saga
President Tinubu was said to have summoned a stakeholders’ meeting at his Ikoyi residence during the yuletide break. GAC Chairman, Olusi, reportedly opened the floor for discussion when he told the president he wanted to give him a situation report on the state of affairs in Lagos. The old man, who reminded the president of how highly the governor’s office was held in the state, when he was governor between 1999 and 2007, allegedly told the president that the disrespect that Sanwo-Olu had suffered in the hands of the speaker was no longer acceptable.
He, according to sources, went on to reel off instances, which they considered disrespectful, including the one they have had to physically intervene and reprimand the speaker.
Olusi subsequently yielded the floor to others to speak, including the speaker, who was to defend himself.
After everyone had spoken, and it was the turn of Tinubu, the president was said to have castigated him for not just disrespecting the governor and his office, but also for poorly managing the politics of the state.
Tinubu reportedly berated Obasa over the contentious 2024 Lagos State Local Council Administration Law sent to Sanwo-Olu for assent.
The president allegedly questioned Obasa’s qualifications to draft laws that could destabilize the political harmony in Lagos State.
He repeatedly scolded the speaker for his perceived individualistic approach to state matters and his confrontational stance toward the state executive, the party, and its elders.
A stunned Obasa was reportedly left speechless as Tinubu lambasted him for his alleged political misconduct and defiance toward the party, its leaders, and the governor.
The president stressed that matters concerning local government laws were beyond Obasa and the House of Assembly while directing the speaker to align with Sanwo-Olu’s directives, particularly regarding the screening, approval, and confirmation of board members for the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC.
Obasa was further instructed to comply with other instructions that would be communicated to him in the future.
The boast
The incident came after Obasa, during the Lagos State 2025 budget presentation, had boasted that no serving or former Lagos State governor was better qualified than him to oversee the state.
His assertion, seen as a direct indictment of Tinubu, who governed Lagos from 1999 to 2007, also highlighted his alleged ambition to run for Lagos governorship in 2027.
The controversial 2024 Local Government Administration Law has been widely criticized as a tool for Obasa to install his loyalists as administrative secretaries in the 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs. This move is viewed as part of his 2027 gubernatorial agenda, branded as the ‘Muda Eko, Obasa Lagos 2027 Agenda’ under The Mudashiru Movement, TMM.
The proposal has reportedly caused divisions within the APC in the state.
Tinubu, reportedly, cited the case of a bill being put forward by the Assembly to enable them to sack the Chairman of LASIEC.
The president scoffed at what he called a huge joke, presided over by the speaker, and added, “Which governor will sign such a bill into law, anyway.”
Side of story
After the meeting was dismissed and everybody made to leave, the speaker, a presidency source hinted, ran after the president into an inner room to properly tell his side of the story and probably pacify an obviously angry Tinubu.
Unfortunately for him, a couple of other GAC members, about two of them, suspecting Obasa’s move, allegedly joined in that second meeting, where the issues were further discussed and the speaker was still condemned by a majority.
The most interesting part of the meeting, the source disclosed, was when the son of the president, Seyi, walked in at this particular meeting and after listening to the conversations, asked if he could ask one or two questions.
According to the source, Seyi asked, “Although I’m the youngest here, I just needed clarity for my understanding. Please, why do you have groups within the party when they cannot unite the party?”
The source said the question, among other concerns raised by the first son, was so profound that it marked the end of the meeting and everyone dispersed.
Stand-off in GAC
Obasa was removed in absentia by 32 out of 40 members of the state House of Assembly on January 13, 2025, over alleged financial misappropriation, misconduct, high-handedness, among others, and replaced by his erstwhile deputy, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, leading to conflicting reactions among members of the GAC, party faithful, as well as the general public.
The divergent views among the GAC members reflected the JF and MM division.
Obasa is supported by some MM members while JF members are indifferent about the speaker’s impeachment.
A member of the group, Taiwo, from Isolo Constituency, in a statement, faulted members of the Assembly for reconvening during recess of the House to remove Obasa.
Obanikoro and Adefuye, on their part, expressed divergent views over the embattled Obasa.
While Adefuye said Obasa was illegally removed, Obanikoro countered the latter saying his statement “was careless.”
Adefuye said: “What Obasa is saying is that he was illegally removed and the procedure was faulty and I agree with him.”
In his counter position, Obanikoro said Adefuye was careless to have made the statement, adding that it was important to respect hierarchy in any organisation.
“The statement of Adefuye on the removal of Obasa is very unfortunate, childish and inconsequential”, Obanikoro said.
“Adefuye’s comment shouldn’t have come up; as leaders, if there are serious issues of this magnitude, rushing to make a press statement or personal statement on such issues is unbecoming of a statement.
“Since GAC as a unit has not made any pronouncement on the subject matter, it is irresponsible of any member of that privileged body to go public and make comments on an issue that is as sensitive as that.
“Moreso, our leader, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, waded in on the matter, so I believe nobody should come out individually to express an opinion based on privileged status.”
Family affair
Also addressing the issue, Are, who is the GAC Secretary, said “the brewing crisis in the Assembly is a family affair” and would be resolved in a family way.
“We would resolve everything because the GAC, being the apex advisory organ, has its mechanism for resolving matters like this.
Quest to reinstate Obasa
The saga took a twist as the quest to return Obasa as speaker suffered a set-back while Sanwo-Olu’s job reportedly came on the line over the zoning configurations in the state.
Sanwo-Olu and the new speaker, Meranda, are from Lagos Central and a peace proposal was that either of the two – Sanwo-Olu or Meranda, should step down to restore the zoning configuration.
Prior to the removal, the three senatorial districts were represented in the first three offices in the state with Sanwo-Olu from Lagos Central, deputy Hamzat from Lagos East and Obasa from Lagos West.
Until January 13, when Obasa was removed, he was one of the longest serving speakers in the history of Lagos. He was also reportedly a major ally of Tinubu in the powerful Lagos West that has about half of the population of the state.
Obasa’s influence had also grown with the exit of Rauf Aregbesola from the Tinubu political family.
Sources say that he had become a sort of tool for the president in stabilising the political dynamics in the state.
Though the president was not happy with his alleged arrogance towards the governor, he did not however endorse Obasa’s removal.
It was as such not surprising that his removal generated a lot of political tension in the state as the development split members of the APC.
Tinubu, Sunday Vanguard learnt, was worried over Obasa’s removal and his replacement with Meranda who hails from Lagos Central.
This is because, with the latest development, Lagos Central has the two positions of speaker and governor while Lagos East has deputy governor with Lagos West getting nothing.
The president directed GAC to resolve the issue by ensuring that one of the two officials in Lagos Central stepped down.
But when lawmakers from Lagos West in the Assembly met with GAC members, they unequivocally declared support for the new speaker instead of returning Obasa to his position.
It was at that point the hope of returning Obasa as speaker was dashed.
Zoning
Tinubu’s consideration on zoning flows from the tight election he ran in 2023 in Lagos when he was defeated by Mr Peter Obi in the presidential election. As a result, the president, it was gathered, is mindful of issues in Lagos and does not want it to be seen as if he is against a powerful zone like Lagos West.
Agitation
Part of the agitations of the Lagos indigenes in the GAC has been that the three topmost positions in the government of Lagos (governor, deputy governor and speaker) are occupied by Ogun State indigenes before the ‘coup’ which produced Meranda as speaker, an indigene.
They allegedly blame Tinubu for deliberately empowering non-indigenes.
The Lagos group in the GAC, it was learnt, is bent on curtailing the powers of non-natives in Lagos politics and they allegedly have the blessings of some traditional rulers in the state to forge on.
Meanwhile, some members of the GAC have been accused of not only foisting their children on the party for political positions, but also allegedly enjoying patronage from aspirants and serving political office holders.
Three GAC leaders from Ikorodu, Ajeromi-Ifelodun and Oshodi-Isolo, for instance, allegedly have their children as members of the House of Assembly.
The Chairman of the body also reportedly has his son as Council Chairman in Lagos Island while another member is said to be pushing for his son to be Council Chairman in Ajeromi-Ifelodun in spite of having one at the Lagos House of Assembly presently.
Party chieftains write Tinubu
In a related development, an APC chieftain in Lagos, Fouad Oki, has expressed the need for decorum in the lingering crisis.
Fouad, in a statement, dated February 4, addressed to APC, and leader of GAC, Olusi, was titled: ‘Lagos speakership: It’s time to stop all shananigans surrounding the change in leadership saga,’ called for immediate truce into the crisis.”
“It is instructive to note that public opinion and community support play crucial roles in shaping political decisions and the overall functioning of democratic governance”, he said.
“Therefore, we must listen to their feeling and favourability of the preference made by these legislators as to who should be primus inter pares among them.
“Lagos is a cosmopolitan area with a strong tradition of grassroots activism, I earnestly wish that our party will be more inclined to engage with community members and incorporate their feedback into how we handle this keg of gun powder.”
Another party leader, Dr Segun Awosanya, in a letter, dated February 5, to Mr. President, said, “Your legacy as a nation-builder is evident in the champions you have nurtured and the robust systems you have established. “Under your guidance, many have risen to positions of leadership, proving themselves as battle-tested public servants.
“However, even the most established systems face challenges when individual character (blind ambition) threatens collective harmony.
“Self-discipline and respect for decency and those values that are dear to our people, including leaders and elders, among whom you are numbered must remain sacrosanct.
“The Lagos State House of Assembly has long been celebrated for its autonomy and efficient self-governance. “Recent events, however, have led to a speculation that threatens to undermine this hard-earned reputation and the carefully cultivated relationships between the GAC, grassroots leaders, and other vital stakeholders.
“The unanimous decision regarding the former speaker reflects a watershed moment —not an act of defiance, but rather a necessary response to a deteriorating situation.
“The emergence of new leadership represents an opportunity for renewal and restoration of democratic principles within the Assembly. The current consensus, achieved through considerable deliberation, should be respected. Given Lagos’s delicate political climate following recent elections, maintaining this unity is paramount”.
Meranda’s emergence
The election of Meranda, representing Apapa I, as Obasa’s successor made her the first female speaker in the history of Lagos. The House also removed the Clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, following the impeachment of Obasa.
Credit: Vanguard
