Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State, Prince Tajudeen Olusi on Tuesday said contrary to impression being created, President Bola Tinubu did not snub the members when they visited him in Abuja few days ago.
Speaking with TheScrutiny, Olusi said the president couldn’t meet with GAC members in Abuja because he had to travel out of the country by 1pm.
Following the removal of the former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, President Tinubu had directed the GAC, the highest decision making organ of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos to persuade the Lagos lawmakers to reinstate Obasa and allow him to resign.
Mojisola Meranda who replaced Obasa as speaker was also expected to resign.
However, It was gathered that during the meeting with the GAC, the lawmakers agreed to write a letter of apology to the President explaining why Obasa could not be reinstated.
Following the meeting, GAC members chosen across the three senatorial districts of the state travelled to Abuja to deliver the lawmakers’ letter to Tinubu but they were unable to see him for undisclosed reasons.
When asked if the president deliberately refused to see them, Olusi said they never booked any appointment with Tinubu before traveling to Aso Villa to see him.
“It’s true. We went to see the president in Abuja but he has to travel on that day. We never had any prior appointment with him. He has to travel by 1pm. We thought we could see him between 10am to 12pm but it was not possible”.
“There was no prior approval of our meeting with him, we only took a chance thinking we could see him but we couldn’t as he had to travel out of the country”.
Speaking with our correspondent, a chieftain of the APC, Abass Oladele said Olusi’s statement shows that Tinubu was angry about the developments in the party in Lagos.
“Given the affinity they share, the GAC does not need any appointment to see Asiwaju (President Tinubu). He holds Papa Olusi and others in the GAC in the highest esteem. These are his political family. If they could travel to Abuja and he refused to see them because he has to travel out, then it shows that all is not well”.