Inside account of how Tinubu reconciled warring Lagos lawmakers

The crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly may have been finally put to rest as the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state waded in and reconciled the warring lawmakers.

The Governing Advisory Council (GAC) a government advisory and crisis resolution mechanism organ of the party in the state headed by the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, 24 March, summoned the warring lawmakers to a reconciliatory meeting meant to find an amicable resolution to the crisis which according to a source, Tinubu said, “has continued to cause the party an embarrassment.”

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At the meeting, the party advised the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa to lift the suspension and reverse the removal of the principal officers in the interest of peace and harmony.

Few hours to the Tuesday Marina parley, Obasa was said to have arrived at Tinubu’s Bourdillon-Ikoyi residence to seek audience with the national leader before the meeting commenced, but could not access him until Tinubu was set to take off for the Marina meeting.

The Speaker’s convoy then followed that of Tinubu and arrived at Lagos House, Marina, venue of the meeting at about 11.20am. Tinubu was welcomed by the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu and they both proceeded immediately into the meeting arena where all other members of the GAC were already seated and the meeting started immediately leaving the Speaker and the aggrieved lawmakers outside the meeting arena. They were to later be called into the meeting venue for them to brief the leaders.

At this point, Tinubu, while addressing the Speaker and the four lawmakers was said to have expressed his concern and displeasure about the turn of event at this sensitive period of National crisis of APC and the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic.

He frowned at them and expressed worries about the embarrassment and distraction the crisis had caused him and the party. Some of the GAC members were also said to have expressed their disappointment at the crisis which has been allowed to linger.

At this point, the Speaker was said to have raised his hand to talk, but was not given the opportunity while the two removed principal officers, Lateef Abiru and Wahab Jimoh were given few minutes each to brief the leaders on the crisis after which Tinubu ruled that the Speaker and the four Lawmakers should excuse the meeting and go to another room, resolve whatever their differences and reverse the steps taken that led to the crisis which is causing the party an avoidable embarrassment.

Governor Sanwo Olu was also directed to moderate and play advisory role to ensure peace amongst the lawmakers and to ensure that the resolution of the leaders is complied with.

 The state chairman of the party,  Babatunde Balogun later joined the Speaker and the lawmakers in the private room while other members of the GAC moved to discuss other national issues.

Tinubu was said to have left the venue immediately after the meeting and few minutes after, the four aggrieved lawmakers were seen seeing off the Speaker to his car in a joyful mood and waved at him as he drove off the venue of the parley.

Governor Sanwo Olu later called the four lawmakers and the party chairman, Babatunde Balogun for a brief that lasted for about 20 minutes. This, perhaps, may signal the end of the lingering crisis in the state legislative arm.

Recall that the Lagos State House of Assembly has been engulfed in crisis following the removal of two of its principal officers and slamming indefinite suspension on two other members.

The two principal officers suspended were, the Chief Whip, Lateef Abiru, representing Shomolu constituency 02 and the Deputy Majority Leader, Wahab Jimoh, Apapa 02. Those placed on indefinite suspension were the representative of Lagos Mainland constituency 02, Hon. Moshood Oshun and his counterpart representing Ibeju Lekki 02, Adewale Raheem.

Their removal and suspension were announced by the Speaker at plenary on Monday, 9th March. The affected lawmakers and their aides were also barred from coming into the Assembly premises while their offices were also sealed off by the leadership of the House.

The four lawmakers were also removed from the official social media platform for the 40-member House. Again, the offices of the four lawmakers at the Assembly were also forced opened for yet to be explained reasons by the leadership of the House.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the House in keeping with the directive of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision making and crisis resolution mechanism organ of the party in the state at plenary on Thursday, announced the lifting of the indefinite suspension of the lawmakers as a first step towards final resolution of the crisis that has engulfed the Assembly in the last three weeks and hoping to bring permanent peace back to the legislative House known for priding itself as operating above the common standard which has also pride itself a legislative template for States Assemblies in the country.