The indications emerged over the weekend when an inside source confided in Vanguard.
According to the source, after a series of failed attempts to remove Meranda since her emergence on January 13, 2025, there have been a series of permutations to relaunch embattled Obasa to power.
The latest plot is to elect a lawmaker from the West, preferably from Ikeja, after the Ifako-Ijaiye candidate declined the offer, along with others who have restated unalloyed loyalty to Meranda.
APC leaders, with a soft spot for Obasa, are currently plotting to see to the emergence of a proxy speaker from the Ikeja constituency and, after a few weeks, relinquish positions to pave the way for Obasa’s emergence. Obasa, in turn, is expected to resign for a popular candidate as speaker.
Meanwhile, members of the state House of Assembly have again, for the umpteenth time, expressed unalloyed support for Meranda, not minding whose ox is gored.
“Why’s no one focusing on the role of Abuja in trying to reinstate him, even with all the infractions and behaving like the elected members must get clearance from Abuja, especially at this stage of our democracy? The matter is being unnecessarily overflogged.
“They even tried to install a proxy to bring him back in a few months.
“Someone making deductions from the allowances of staff, even junior staff, and his colleagues. They behave like they benefit from his negative behavior,” an APC chieftain lamented under anonymity.
Also, a public critic, Benjamin Mokwunye, in his article “Time to move on,” released at the weekend, said, “There are indications that in one form or the other the Governance (or Governor’s) Advisory Council (GAC) was involved in the removal, perhaps even sanctioning it.
“The council may be an extra-constitutional body, but it has remained influential since it was set up under the Bola Tinubu governorship.
“Soon after Obasa was unseated, his successor, Mojisola Meranda, visited the GAC and received their blessing.
“Their assent, as well as the visit, should have been more nuanced, lest many analysts begin to squirm over the role of the council, even believing erroneously that it was behind the putsch.
“But since the mistake was made, the GAC and the Assembly have battled to sustain the action the state’s lawmakers took against Obasa.
“It has turned out that a few members of the GAC, perhaps three or four out of about 24 have balked at the former speaker’s removal, but regardless of the stridency of their voices and protests, they have been unable to give traction to their reservations.
“There are speculations about APC, hierarchs wanting to return Obasa to his seat, but no one is sure the rumours are not just amateur name-dropping or red herring.
“The procedure adopted by the lawmakers to remove Obasa was democratic.
“His removal over alleged financial misappropriation, misconduct, and high-handedness cannot be downplayed.
“Indeed, the lawmakers could even remove him if they happened to take a dislike to him at any time and any point.
“It is unclear what role the GAC played in the removal beyond merely asserting it.
“If the party and its hierarchs begin to nitpick over such removals, ignoring the sensibilities of the lawmakers and overplaying their hands, they risk alienating the rank and file.
“But public analysts and critics observed that the removal may upset the political permutations of the party, but they would be courting disfavor, if not disaster, to insist on reinstating him.
“If the removal blindsided them, they must find intelligent and democratic ways of closing ranks and regaining control of the party and the legislature.
“Obasa makes it hard for party leaders and members to defend or back him. Regardless of his misunderstanding with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his response to the governor’s budget presentation on November 21 exhibited poor judgement and a lack of grace and understanding.
“It is uncertain whether party leaders looked deeper than the surface of his leadership; but the near unanimity of opinion against him by most of his colleagues, past and present, speaks to the poor choice they made of him when they first elected him speaker nearly 10 years ago.
“The GAC and the party must now move beyond Obasa.
Their speakership choices have not always been flawless, as evidenced by their election and sustenance of the former speaker.
“It is disturbing that the GAC and the party have hemmed and hawed over a fairly straightforward matter. Mr Sanwo-Olu himself has kept discretely silent so as not to be accused of having a hand in the removal of his combative nemesis,” among others.
Lawmakers hail Tinubu
Recall that lawmakers hailed and listed some achievements of the Tinubu-led administration last Friday at a plenary, describing the President as a blessing to Nigeria.
Speaking during plenary, the lawmakers took time to eulogize the President, saying he came into office at a time when Nigerians were at a crossroads over the country’s socio-economic status before the 2023 elections.
Raising the motion, Tobun Abiodun (Epe I) told his colleagues that Tinubu’s policies had begun to yield positive results in less than two years in office.
Tobun noted that Tinubu’s economic expertise had boosted the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
According to him, “This is further reflecting in the current continuous strength of the Naira.
“Currently, the policies are yielding positive results and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased. The value of naira is gradually gaining strength.
“There is no more fuel scarcity anymore in the country. We need to encourage the federal government to continue on the good pedestrian it started two years ago,” Tobun said.
In his contribution, the Majority Leader of the House, Adewale Temitope (Ifako-Ijaiye I), said the President’s actions showed that he was prepared before he took the baton of leadership.
Temitope said the Federal Government under Tinubu continues to meet Nigerians’ yearnings, citing the refineries that are in operation and that have led to drops in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
He re-echoed the efforts and sacrifices made by Tinubu, who he described as a true democrat, for the continued successes and strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) both in the state and the nation.
Temitope said the House remained committed to the ideals of the party, its leadership and the GAC, a team of elders that continue to guide the party in Lagos.
For his part, Gbolahan Yishawu (Etim Osa II) praised the President for fighting insecurity and reducing inflation.
Contributing to the debate, Aro Moshood, representing Ikorodu II, commended the President for the upward review of the country’s minimum wage, his investment drive that has secured over $40 million and his assuaging the effects of the removal of subsidies.
However, the Speaker, Meranda expressed optimism that the President would meet the yearnings of Nigerians.
“I know President Tinubu will take us to the Promised Land. When he started, it was rough but it is becoming obvious the policies are yielding results.
“This is a positive result happening within the short time Tinubu came into power. Tinubu’s investment in the security architecture is also yielding results as we have insecurity reducing,” she said.
The members are expected to resume sitting on Monday, by 11 am as further developments unfold.
