Lagos Assembly Crisis: Why Oshinowo’s after Obasa

By Abolaji Adebayo

It is no doubt there is crisis in the Lagos House of Assembly and at the receiving end is the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who has been the target of ‘malicious reports’ in an online medium, Sahara Reporters.

Observers believed that the crisis is majorly between Speaker Obasa and Senator representing Lagos East, Adebayo Sikiru Oshinowo believing to be seeking control of the House after leaving for the federal House of Assembly.

Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State is the political home base of the Ijebu Ode, Ogun State native Senator, where he wielded power to control the political landscape.

He rules via the “Mandate Group” faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as he enjoyed 90 percent authority in determining who get elevated or who gets demoted politically in the council and her development authorities since the decimation of their rival faction, the “Justice Forum”, sequel to the death of the Forum’s leader, Alhaji Sunmola.

Developments in the last three months in the once peaceful and united Tinubu owned “Mandate Group” political family in Kosofe LGA in particular and Lagos State in general, revealed that the enormous powers wielded by Oshinowo, an Italian trained expert dredger, has been thrown into the Lagos Lagoon, as the Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa’s camp dealt “Peperrito” as Oshinowo is fondly called two devastating political cuttings to size big blows within a week.

The first was the reversal of the impeachment of the Deputy Leader Ikosi Isheri Legislative Arm, Hon. Folashade Oluranti Akinpelu, whose political leader, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye is in the camp of the Lagos Speaker Obasa, on Monday, May 11, 2020, the impeachment was instigated by Oshinowo’s foster daughter, Princess Samiat Abolanle Bada, the Executive Chairman of Ikosi Isheri LCDA.

Presently Lagos Assembly official records are flying in the media space daily, allegedly detailing financial malfeasances, misappropriations, misconducts, abuse of office and breach of public trust among other infractions by Obasa.

These image damaging reports are said to be sponsored by Team Pepperito’s camp.

It was gathered that some members of the House who took offence with the speaker orchestrated the series of heinous media publications against the speaker.

Sources in the House said the speaker became their enemy after checking their criminal and corruptible activities which he noticed could be inimical to the affairs of the House, revealed that the aggrieved forces took offence with the speaker when he suspended them over their insubordination to the Assembly authority.

Team Obasa’s camp in Peperrito’s Kosofe political domain, this medium gathered, consists of the Chairman on House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Hon. Tunde Braimoh, representing Kosofe Constituency ll and Hon. Rotimi Agunloye, Kosofe Federal Constituency. While Team Pepper consists of Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, Kosofe 1, Executive Chairman of Agboyi Ketu LCDA, Mayor Dele Oshinowo and Ikosi Isheri LCDA boss, Princess Samiat Abolanle Bada.

The second blow from Team Obasa was the non-confirmation of a nominee for Lagos State Audit Board Commision, Hon. Abiodun Akhigbe.

Akhigbe is said to be a protégé of Oshinowo, this has further reinforced the war between the two Teams and this war may not abate in the immediate future as gladiators dig in deeper.

Hon. Akhigbe is reportedly being positioned by Oshinowo for the Kosofe State Constituency 2 or the Federal House of Representatives ticket.

The persuasion of both the Kosofe Local Government Area Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Sofola and that of the Lagos State Commissioner for Employment and Wealth Creation, Hon. Yetunde Arobieke is yet undetermined.

Team Pepper has vowed to fight Team Obasa to the end and also take the fight to Agege Local Government Area, the political base of Speaker Obasa sooner.

During the 8^th Assembly, both Obasa and Oshinowo were good allies. Obasa did all Oshinowo’s dues, giving him all he wanted.

However, it was gathered that Obasa refused to be controlled and dictated to by Oshinowo during the 9^th Assembly, which practically birthed the genesis of the rivalry that resorted to the crisis currently rocking the House.

In proxy, Sen. Oshinowo has been accused of fanning the ember of crisis in the House through his now allies, the four lawmakers suspended by the Speaker, who have been siphoning documents for Sahara Reporters to make malicious reports against the Speaker.

After leaving the Lagos House of Assembly, Oshinowo knew he might not be relevant in the Lagos politics any longer. The only way he knew he could still be relevant is when there is chaos in the House so that he could always be called upon to settle the House he left.

Some believed that by calling him back to settle rifts in the Lagos Assembly, Oshinowo would gain back his relevance among the APC leadership in Lagos, hence the need to create a crisis in the House.

The four lawmakers including two principal officers – Mr. Rotimi Abiru – Chief Whip; Mr. Olumuyiwa Jimoh – Deputy Majority Leader; Mr. Moshood Oshun, and Mr. Raheem Kazeem who are loyalists of the senator, were suspended over their insubordination to the Assembly authority, it was gathered.

These disgruntled lawmakers, when the pages in the book of their atrocities against the legislative institution they swore to protect were opened for them to see, begged to be forgiven as seen in the letter of apology to the speaker dated 12/04/2020 and collectively signed on 13/04/2020.

Obasa must have taken heed of this mantra when, upon realizing the treacherous antics of some members, he quickly stepped in to clip their wings.

Since he announced the suspension of the now pardoned four members of the assembly including two erstwhile principal officers, things on the surface looked peaceful but the beleaguered members, alongside their ilks will stop at nothing to tarnish the hard earned reputation of Obasa who has maintained dignified silence in the face of maneuverings of these assembly rabble rousers including Hon. Lanre Oshun, Rotimi Abiru, Olumuyiwa Jimoh and Raimi Kazeem.

Sources in the House of Assembly claimed that Hon. Abiru has a lot of skeletons in his cupboard. One of his skeletons is his use of the hallowed office of the assembly to hide arms and ammunition.

The sources said: “When this was brought to the attention of Speaker Obasa, he acted promptly by seizing the weapon that still remains in the custody of the assembly authorities till date.

“Despite official promptings, Abiru has refused to disclose his motive for keeping illegal arms in the premises of the assembly. The question is to know what a law maker is doing with an illegal gun in his official legislative office.

“Was he planning to foment trouble and in the ensuing chaos open fire on members? Is it good for Abiru, a lawmaker to be a law breaker?

“Is it a crime that Speaker Obasa acted diligently and responsibly by seizing the illegal arms criminally brought to a legislative compound without disclosure or official approval?

“This is why Abiru is mobilizing ilks to move against Obasa. This also informed his recent interview in a national newspaper in which he descended into the abyss, using words quite unbecoming of a legislator against the assembly leadership thereby denigrating the legislative institution he claims to represent.

“If this is not true, Abiru should come out and say so. Hon. Oshun has made undue pride and arrogance his substitute name and this might not be unconnected with the alleged freebies coming to him.

The sources alleged that Hon. Oshun collected bribe from the company of Chief Kessington Adebutu’s eldest son which almost landed him in trouble but for the intervention of the speaker.

“He ran into trouble when he collected bribe from the company of Chief Kessington Adebutu’s eldest son that handled a huge drainage contract under the immediate past administration of Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

“Oshun collected two hundred thousand dollar bribe ($200,000) and some aggrieved stakeholders in the know of the deal wrote a petition against him that’s still in the custody of Speaker Obasa.

“The speaker gave him a soft landing upon the condition that he returns the hefty bribe and this he reluctantly did.

“The hefty bribe is still in the custody of the assembly authorities and this forms a major reason why Oshun is fighting speaker Obasa and fighting futilely to destroy him. Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh and Hon. Raimi Kazeem are joining the bandwagon so as to gain relevance. Jimoh is a failed socialist with no meaningful impact in the assembly but to be a follow, follow ideologue.”