The impeachment of former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, has continued to fuel division within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, with key party stakeholders at odds over his removal.
Since Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, over alleged misconduct and financial misappropriation, tensions have escalated within the Governance Advisory Council (GAC)—the APC’s highest decision-making body in the state.
The rift became more apparent when two GAC members, Senator Anthony Adefuye and Muraina Taiwo, publicly criticized the impeachment process, only to be rebuked by another senior APC leader, Musiliu Obanikoro, who dismissed their objections as “childish and inconsequential.”
In an interview with Punch, Adefuye questioned the legitimacy of Obasa’s removal, describing the process as flawed and politically motivated.
“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,” Taiwo stated in a WhatsApp message.
However, Obanikoro fired back at the dissenting voices, urging party leaders to avoid making hasty statements.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has indicated that it expects Obasa to return to the House before deciding on its next steps, which may include a formal probe into allegations against him.
As the APC crisis deepens, opposition parties in Lagos have declared their willingness to welcome Obasa, should he choose to leave the ruling party.
The Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, Benedict Tai, confirmed on Friday that the party would consider accommodating the former Speaker, while implementing necessary background checks.
“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.
He noted that the PDP welcomed the crisis within the APC and intended to capitalise on it to regain lost ground in the state.
“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 favourable for the PDP, provided we learn from our mistakes and take advantage of their shortcomings,” Tai added.
Similarly, the Labour Party in Lagos expressed its willingness to welcome Obasa should he consider leaving the APC ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The Chairman of the party, Pastor Dayo Ekong, said the LP had no problem integrating Obasa into its ranks as long as his interests aligned with the party’s vision and principles.
“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 stated.
When asked whether Obasa might receive preferential treatment due to his political status and rumoured governorship ambition, Ekong said, “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.”
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