Oba Akiolu Plays Prominent Role As Gov Sanwo-Olu Tries To Mend Fences With President Tinubu

Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, who had faced ‘silent battles since March this year, has been busy trying to mend fences with President Bola Tiinubu.

The governor had entered the bad books of the president and his main ‘promoter’ Chief (Mrs.) Remi Tinubu, following his role in the ‘temporary removal’ of Hon Mudasiru Obasa as Speaker of the state house of assembly.

Recall that Hon Mudasiru Obasa reclaimed his position as Speaker on March 3, 2025, after a dramatic 49-day stand-off over the control of Lagos State House of Assembly, and he had since continued to carry out his duties and responsibilities as head of the state parliament while Hon Mojisola Meranda, who was the face of the ‘civilian coup’, had also returned to her position as Deputy Speaker.

Hon Meranda had served as Speaker for 49 days.

Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu was introduced to the ‘Tinubu political family’ and Lagos State politics by Mr Femi Pedro, who served as Deputy Governor of Lagos State between 2003 and 2007.

They were together at the First Atlantic Bank, and Pedro appointed Sanwo-Olu as his Special Adviser on Corporate Matters in 2003.

The then Governor Bola Tinubu later appointed Sanwo-Olu as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry.

Sanwo-Olu served as Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions under Fashola while he was also appointed as Managing Director/CEO of Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) by Akinwunmi Ambode.

Following the decision taken to stop Ambode from getting renominated by the APC ahead of the 2019  guber election, the search for a Christian who will complete Ambode’s two terms of 8 years for the Christian community began and names like Leke Pitan and others were being suggested.

 While this was going on, Mrs. Remi Tinubu was said to have told the president that the search was unnecessary as Sanwo-Olu, who was a regular visitor at Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi, and had become her political godson, will be a good candidate and his loyalty will not be in doubt.

It was however made clear to him that he will spend one term to complete the slot of Christians while a Muslim candidate will emerge in 2023.

Fate helped Governor Sanwo-Olu in 2023, and he was allowed to go for re-election because Tinubu had taken a decision to go for same-faith presidential ticket.

It was felt that those who were not privy to the agreement may misconstrue it as stopping a Christian from enjoying a second term in Lagos State.

With the developments recorded at the state House of Assembly, the president and his wife regarded it as a ‘coup’ against the political family and not Obasa.

‘Asiwaju has been very angry and really angry. Almost all his lieutenants joined the cabal to fight him under Buhari . Aregbesola, Banire all of them who he could have tasked with handling things for him in Lagos are gone and only Obasa has been his main man.

They now removed Obasa and replaced him with a woman! It was seen as a way of seeking to weaken his political structure.

The most annoying thing was that Falana and Banire, who have become his enemies, were supporting the lawmakers who carried out the civilian coup. Falana was even their lawyer. The president was very angry. He considered it as a plot to dethrone him as political godfather in Lagos State’ said a source.

The governor is still being haunted by his role in the ‘temporary removal’ of  Obasa as Speaker of the state House of Assembly and the scenario enacted during an event in the state on Saturday made the governor know that there is ‘fire on the mountain’.

Sources had told Team@orientactualmags.com in April that the president had insisted that the governor should either resign or get impeached, apparently Sanwo-Olu had asked people around the president to help intervene since ‘the resignation or impeachment message’ did not come directly from him but through some stakeholders.

 Sanwo-Olu had simply continued with his governorship duties and responsibilities believing that the situation had been kept under control until the president snubbed him during the inauguration ceremony of the first 30-kilometre stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway on Saturday.

Realizing that remedial steps are required to be taken quickly during ‘hurried times’, there were hurried meetings during which they came up with measures to be taken and the Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu was quickly contacted and they pleaded with him to intervene.

‘The president is in Lagos for sallah celebration and it will be easy for him to coordinate and give directives that may lead to the governor’s impeachment and it will not be advisable to delay action’ said a source.

The president was not happy with the role played by the governor in the ‘civilian coup’ and he felt incensed at the development and was very angry with the lawmakers who removed Obasa because he saw it as a plot to dethrone him as political godfather.

No one had served as Speaker in the state unless he gets nominated by him and this time around someone was removed as Speaker without seeking his approval and another person was bold enough to accept to become the Speaker without getting ‘anointed’.

He felt more incensed that they even lied to some among the lawmakers and other stakeholders that he was the one who gave them the directive to remove Obasa.

‘The president insisted that Obasa must return to his position to prove a point that he is still in control of Lagos State’ said a source.

Speaker Meranda is the younger sister of  Oniru of Iru kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II .

The Iru monarch was the aide de camp to President Bola Tinubu while serving as governor of Lagos State. He later served as commissioner under Mr Raji Fashola, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu before his ascension to the throne in 2020.

It was reliably gathered that the plot to remove Obasa was hatched at his palace before subsequent meetings were held at other locations.

President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Mrs. Remi Tinubu were not comfortable with the idea of removing the Speaker while he was out of the country and without them ‘approving’ such an action.

The president had initially given instructions that Obasa should be allowed to return as Speaker and resign after three weeks while a new face will emerge as head of the state parliament but when they returned to Lagos, Meranda was told not to resign as directed and that was what made the Jagaban insist on having Obasa returned as Speaker ‘permanently’.

Although the dramas have ended, the political figures that played overt or covert roles in the removal of Obasa have begun to lick wounds and it may have serious consequences.

Members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) are no longer held in high esteem by the president like it was before, while he may still give the cold shoulder to some other people in the coming days.

Also trying to mend fences with the president are two popular monarchs in the state; Elegushi of Ikate , Oba Saheed Ademola and Oniru of Iru kingdom, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal.

The two traditional rulers in question also earned the odium of the president through the role they played in the ‘temporary removal’ of Hon Obasa as Speaker.

While they had gotten the signs that their wings are getting clipped last month, the two popular kings felt it important to ‘straighten’ relationship with the president and they quickly sought an audience and visited him at his Lagos residence on Sunday.

To remind Tinubu of their days as ‘his boys’, there were no traditional clothes and decorations associated with royalty as they opted for ‘casual dress’-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you