Mudashiru Obasa, the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, was removed on January 13, 2025, by a majority of lawmakers due to allegations of financial misappropriation and misconduct.
His removal has caused conflicting reactions among members of the Governance Advisory Council, the highest decision-making body of the APC in Lagos, and opposition parties have stated that they are prepared to welcome the embattled lawmaker should he consider leaving the ruling party.
The division was made apparent when Senator Anthony Adefuye and Chief Muraina Taiwo, two members of the GAC who opposed Obasa’s removal, were criticized by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, another member of the group, who dismissed their remarks as “childish and inconsequential.”
Adefuye had criticized the procedures that resulted in Obasa’s removal in an interview with the Press, while Taiwo wrote in a brief WhatsApp message, “The lawmakers’ action is illegal. It shows total disregard and clear disrespect for leadership. The GAC is split over the matter, but we will all defer to our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to resolve the crisis.”
The Lagos State House of Assembly has stated that it expects Obasa to return to the House before deciding on the next course of action, including a potential probe.
As of the time this report was filed, it was unclear whether the former Speaker had appear before the House, as the Assembly’s spokesperson, Olukayode Ogundipe, did not return calls on Friday.
Obanikoro, however, chastised both men and urged party leaders to hold off on making rash statements on the matter.
As the controversy raged, the state’s opposition parties said that they were willing to make room for the troubled former Speaker if he chose to leave the ruling party.
Benedict Tai, the vice chairman of the state’s Peoples Democratic Party, stated that if Obasa joined the party in the future, the proper checks would be put in place.
“If we accept him into the party, we will put checks and balances in place because no one can just come in and demand a position. The person must have spent years in the party. We need to be sure he isn’t coming to disrupt the party, as some have done in the past,” he stated.
In order to reclaim lost ground in the state, he pointed out that the PDP welcomed the APC issue and planned to take advantage of it.
“If disunity is an obstacle to their party, then we hope it worsens for them. They are our main challenge. The current situation in Lagos is favorable for the PDP, provided we learn from our mistakes and take advantage of their shortcomings,” Tai added.
The Lagos Labour Party also stated that if Obasa decides to leave the APC before the 2027 governorship election, they would be happy to welcome him.
Pastor Dayo Ekong, the party’s chairman said as long as Obasa’s goals matched the party’s vision and values, the LP had no trouble accepting him into its ranks.
“If the impeached Speaker chooses to join the Labour Party, he will be welcomed because our party is open to everyone. As a party driven by the right ideals, we don’t want to interfere in APC affairs. However, if Obasa decides to join us, he will be accepted, provided his interests align with what the LP stands for,” Ekong said.
Ekong responded to a question about whether Obasa would be given preferential treatment because of his political standing and alleged desire to become governor by saying, “There are no automatic rights anywhere. People were at the party before he came in. What we will do is allow everyone to go through the primaries and test their popularity. It’s not about granting an automatic ticket to anyone.
“Don’t forget that the 2023 LP governorship candidate is still in the party. But when we get to that bridge, we will cross it.”