President Tinubu has reportedly fallen out with Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has indefinitely extended the withdrawal of security details for Lagos traditional rulers Omogbolahan Oniru and Saheed Elegushi.
Sources close to the matter revealed to Peoples Gazette that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu authorized the police to continue withholding government-provided security for the monarchs after learning that they supported Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the controversial impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, in January.
The president, sources said, was deeply angered by the mismanagement of Lagos politics by Governor Sanwo-Olu, especially after the governor failed to contain rebellious lawmakers prior to Obasa’s impeachment on January 13.
ALSO: Aig-Imoukhuede’s Access Holdings Fails To File 2024 Audited Statement On NGX
Tinubu, according to the sources, is determined to punish not just the governor but also those who were complicit in the scheme.
As a result of the extended security suspension, police vans that once stood outside the palaces of Oniru and Elegushi were notably absent over the weekend.
“Kabiyesi Oniru has already hired private security guards and shared brand-new suits with them so they can appear as SSS agents,” a source close to Oniru’s palace told The Gazette. “He doesn’t know when his government security will be reinstated—President Tinubu is still very angry.”
While constitutional constraints prevent President Tinubu from easily punishing Governor Sanwo-Olu as an incumbent, sources said the president has moved to hold accountable those who aided the governor’s controversial actions.
“The president has authorised the police IG to continue the suspension of security officers to both Oniru and Elegushi,” a source familiar with the matter told The Gazette. “They brought this upon themselves for allowing themselves to be manipulated by Governor Sanwo-Olu.”
President Tinubu’s frustration stems from the belief that Oniru and Elegushi should have questioned the validity of Sanwo-Olu’s claims that he had presidential approval to remove Obasa, a key player in Lagos politics.
“The president said Elegushi and Oniru should have contacted his office to verify whether he supported the impeachment,” a top aide disclosed. “They should have done due diligence.”
Mojisola Lasbat Meranda was sworn in as the new speaker after Obasa was impeached. Obasa was later reinstated on March 3, after a directive from the president, though Lagos lawmakers initially resisted.
Though Governor Sanwo-Olu denied any involvement in the impeachment, allegations suggest he influenced lawmakers to secure Obasa’s removal. In the aftermath, Tinubu reportedly snubbed the governor, even refusing to meet with a delegation of lawmakers who traveled to Abuja seeking his intervention.
President Tinubu’s distrust of Sanwo-Olu deepened following the governor’s failure to prevent the loss of Lagos in the 2023 presidential elections to Peter Obi. “Governor Sanwo-Olu knows how important Agege is to Asiwaju before lying to the lawmakers and bribing them to remove a man the president likes as the leader of the parliament,” said one source to Peoples Gazette.
A spokesman for Oniru denied any involvement in the political turmoil, emphasizing that the monarch’s only connection to the situation was through his familial ties to Meranda.
“Kabiyesi Oniru is a traditional ruler, not a politician,” said spokesman Hakeem Akintoye. “He has been focused on improving the welfare of his people and preserving the cultural heritage of Iru Kingdom.”
Meanwhile, Elegushi has denied any problems with his security but has been making efforts to regain his government-provided protection.
A presidential spokesperson claimed no knowledge of the president’s anger or retaliatory actions towards the traditional rulers. Similarly, a spokesman for Governor Sanwo-Olu did not respond to requests for comments, and the Force Headquarters declined to provide any information.