Another member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Chief Muraina A. Taiwo, has criticised the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

Obasa was ousted on January 13, while he was out of the country, over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office. He was replaced by Mojisola Lasbat Meranda of Apapa Constituency 1.

Upon his return on Saturday, Obasa rejected the process, insisting he remains the speaker until the “right thing is done.”

His removal has caused division within the GAC, the highest decision-making body of the Lagos APC.

GAC member, Senator Anthony Adefuye, sided with Obasa, saying the removal is illegal.

“What he is saying is that he was illegally removed, and the procedure was faulty, and I agree with him,” Adefuye said in an earlier interview.

However, another GAC member, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, dismissed Adefuye’s stance as “very unfortunate, childish and inconsequential.”

“Senator Adefuye’s comment shouldn’t have come up. As leaders, if there are serious issues of this magnitude, rushing to make press statements or personal remarks is unbecoming of a statesman,” Obanikoro said.

GAC secretary Mutiu Are had, however, downplayed the internal rift, calling it a “family affair” that would be resolved internally.

But as tensions persisted, another GAC member, Chief Taiwo, weighed in, backing claims that Obasa’s removal was unlawful.

In a statement titled ‘My Take on the Ongoing Imbroglio at Lagos House of Assembly’, Chief Taiwo condemned the move as a show of disrespect to party leadership.

“The act of the lawmakers is illegal. It shows total disregard and clear disrespect for leadership. The GAC is divided on the matter, but we will all defer to our de facto leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to resolve the crisis,” he stated.