Since the First Republic days, each of the three regions of Nigeria has its political peculiarities rooted in its evolving culture of power and leadership.
This political evolution has evolved over time and in the process evolved its own dynamics developing with the cosmopolitan culture of the Yoruba people.
For instance, on Lagos, beside the organised political party structure in the state of Excellence as Lagos is known for, it also has its own peculiar political character not far from the Gedegbe l’Eko wa kind of politics different from other states in the South-West.
However, the control of power within Lagos ruling party the All Progressives Congress, APC, since the party evolved from the Alliance for Democracy, AD to Action Congress, ACN since 1999 has also been a peculiar case unique to Lagos. It’s peculiarity lies in the fact that within the ruling party, there are recognised political movements which has evolved over time to control and ensure the dominance power of interest in the state. They determine who gets what within the only ruling party in the state since 1999.
From the Mandate Group to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu, BAT, and others, these groups all metamorphosise into control centre for the party.
They all coalesced to wield enormous power of control over whoever emerges as governor since the end of the tenure of then Governor Bola Tinubu in 2007.
Hence, the present travails of Mudasiru Obasa, who on January 13, 2025 lost his exalted position as Speaker of the state house of Assembly is part of the influence of the group and its hold on the party and governance.
Obasa’s fall from the pinnacle of power where he has been for the past ten years is to say the least the result of his own ‘sins’ even though he has also in times past been used by the powers that be to undermine others too while he was reigning and has not fallen out of favour with the ‘owners’ of Lagos.
In other words, Obasa’s travails is akin to what Yoruba describe as “Ida ahun ni a fi npa ahun” –you use oppressors sword to kill him.
Muiz Banire, a former state Commissioner and until now National Legal Adviser of the APC describes Obasa’s travails as akin to reaping from the oppression he has garnered to push others like him who refused to fall in line aside in the scheme of things in Lagos.
Banire was indeed referring to the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, the group on which power rests in the state. It decides who gets what in Lagos since the return to democracy in 1999.
The GAC had notable leaders and politicians like elder statesman, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Cardinal Odunmbaku (Baba Eto) Cornelius Ojelabi-APC chairman in the state, Prince Rabiu Adio Oluwa, Busura Alebiosu, former Chairman of the APC in Lagos, Chief Henry Ajomale and Alhaji Seriki Bamu.
The uniqueness of this advisory governance policy making and clearing house for the party in the state is that it consists of members from the five divisions of Lagos and had a control of what happens in APC.
The divisions are Epe, Badagry, Agege, Mushin and Lagos.
This makes Tinubu’s control of the APC in Lagos as firm as firm could be since the ruling party itself has those that control its fortune outside the party.
Beside his other ‘sins’, Obasa violently rode and ignore the high horse which gets him to power.
In the circumstance, he rode roughshod over his contemporary in the Assembly where he has presided in the past ten years.
He not only ended up in the belly of the horse, it threw him up and knock him down sustaining fatal injuries deep enough to clip his wings and ground his political ambition.
Thus, it is evident to conclude that his assumption of an invisible clout in politics and power was his biggest undoing.
His travails is not far from what former Deputy Governor, Femi Pedro, did which earned him impeachment in 2007.
Obasa while enjoying his power discountenance the GAC which still had influence and listening ear from the Assembly members who shoved him aside penultimate week while holidaying in the United states.
Pedro, like the proverbial prodigal son, has since navigated his way back to his benefactor with his subsequent reintegration into the state’s political mainstream. He also got his impeachment reverted.
Obasa’s ‘banana peel’ is also derivable from his offending the GAC members by his acclaimed disregard for the leaders who see his perceived arrogance and aloofness as signs that given further chance and bigger opportunity, he may ridicule them hence, they cut him to size.
His attitude is also akin to the over confidence displayed by former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who though a ‘bloody’ civil servant was foisted on the party and state by Tinubu in 2015.
But he no sooner than he assumed office that he showed disrespect to many including but not limited to the likes of Musiliu Smith, a former IGP and other respected stakeholders in Lagos held in high esteem by Tinubu.
For all what he thought, Obasa’s ten years tenure as Speaker seems to have naively conferred on him such invincibility big enough to clinch the Lagos top job in 2027.
His alleged disrespect to incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu- an issue on which Tinubu as President has publicly warned him, remains one of the immediate cause of his crash from power.
Had he been at peace with fellow legislators who over the years have complained to GAC and anyone who cared to listen about his dictatorial and egoistic tendencies, he might not have met his Waterloo so easily.
As the Yoruba adage which says, “Odo to ba gbagbe orisun re a gbe” –any river that forgets its source will dry up.
It remains to be seen, if the source of Obasa’s leadership and power has not dried up behind him.
In retrospect, it is clear that the former Speakers ten years stay in power and control of the assembly has given him a false sense of invincibility.
Since overconfidence paves the way for conspiracy, Obasa’s attitude was his undoing as it made him not to watch his back.
Hence, both Ambode and Obasa failed in what a former Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, described as test of loyalty to their benefactor.
They both failed to appreciate the influence of and convergence of power among Tinubu, GAC and other elected representatives. Those who are wiser in the scheme of things in the state know and acknowledge their source of power and did nothing to undermine it.
Among the many ‘sins’ of Obasa the legislators claim, is highhandedness, corruption, alleged misappropriation of funds and selfishness which they found hard to live with.
For somebody who had been in the saddle of Speakership to be so removed by his colleagues shows he must have over the years not only distance himself from his source of power but also discountenance the capacity of his colleagues to cut him to size using the powerful forces outside the house.
With the warnings to Obasa by the assembly members not to overheat the polity by his statements on his return from holiday in the United states, he might just have started a process that may lead to his gradual emasculation and demystification not only among the members, but also in the party, his Agege primary constituency and loyalty of core followers he may not guarantee in the ongoing power tussle.
Is he indeed reaping from a powerful tendency and monster he has helped to build in the state or just a victim of his perceived invincibility and ambition?
Interesting days lie ahead in Lagos Politics as the race to who emerges as governorship flag bearer of the party in 2027 gets more interesting.
