Sources say the dispute has triggered political manoeuvring and tense negotiations within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.

President Bola Tinubu has reportedly expressed deep displeasure with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the illegal allocation of 96 hectares of land at Banana Island to developers linked to them.

Sources say the dispute has triggered political manoeuvring and tense negotiations within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.

According to insiders familiar with the matter, Governor Sanwo-Olu allegedly sold land belonging to Tinubu at Banana Island, exacerbating the President’s anger over the matter.

This brewing controversy is said to be behind Tinubu’s recent decision to reverse the removal of Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who had been facing pressure from powerful state-level factions.

“Tinubu got upset with Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over illegal land allocation at Banana Island, where they allocated 96 hectares to developers linked to them. Sanwo-Olu, they reported, also sold Tinubu’s land at Banana Island,” one of the sources said.

“It was the reason he reversed the removal of Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.”

Obasa was impeached as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly on January 13, 2025, following allegations of misconduct and financial impropriety. His removal was reportedly driven by long-standing tensions within the assembly and his defiance of party elders' advice. While Obasa was away, lawmakers replaced him with Mojisola Meranda, making her the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly.

However, Obasa’s impeachment sparked a political crisis, as he was considered a key ally of President Tinubu. Tinubu, who has long maintained influence over Lagos politics, was reportedly angered by the decision and intervened to reverse it. He directed lawmakers to reinstate Obasa, arguing that the political fallout from his removal outweighed the misconduct allegations.

After 49 days, Obasa was reinstated as Speaker, while Meranda returned to her previous role as Deputy Speaker.

On Sunday, June 8, President Tinubu and his wife, Remi, met privately with Speaker Obasa. However, when it came to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the President insisted on meeting him only in the presence of a group of Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC) leaders, led by their chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, who came to plead on his behalf.

“So while Tinubu and his wife met with the Speaker personally, he only agreed to meet Sanwo-Olu with a group of Lagos GAC leaders who came to plead on his behalf,” a source said.

It was gathered that Sanwo-Olu’s visit to the President on Sunday came after interventions by several influential figures. At a recent event in Lagos, video footage captured President Tinubu pointedly snubbing Sanwo-Olu, reinforcing rumours of a longstanding rift.

Speaking after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu thanked the President for granting them an audience. He, however, denied reports of a feud between them, attributing the rumours to what he described as “people who are more Catholic than the Pope.

When a reporter with the NTA asked him about the rift with the President, Sanwo-Olu asked, “Did you see any discord? Can’t you see, even you are smiling and I am smiling? There is none.

“You know, there are people who believe they are more Catholic than the Pope. You know, there are things that, you see people, you know, they cry more than the bereaved.

“You know, father and son, are things that we’ll always ensure that, you know… there’s nothing at all. He’s my father, he’s my leader, and we are grateful that he’s given us the audience today to come in and say hello to him.”

Meanwhile, as part of the efforts to resolve the crisis, President Tinubu is reportedly moving to revoke the land allocations made illegally by Governor Sanwo-Olu and his associates. This step, insiders say, is part of a broader attempt to reassert control and restore credibility in the wake of mounting public discontent over governance and accountability.

“Tinubu is also to revoke the land allocated illegally by Sanwo-Olu and others as part of their agreement,” a source said

SaharaReporters previously reported that President Tinubu had ordered the immediate revocation of approvals and licenses granted for unauthorised islands and developments on federal road setbacks and infrastructure corridors in Lagos.

The President made this announcement last Thursday during the official commissioning of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road.

On May 20, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that federal investigators had uncovered what appears to be one of the largest land racketeering and money laundering schemes, involving the Lagos State Government and some federal officials.

Tinubu cautioned state governors against issuing licenses for such projects without involving the federal government, saying, “I’ve directed the Honourable Minister of Works to work with the Surveyor General of the Federation and all the state governors.”

Tinubu said the “legacy project” must be protected, adding that there must be a “reasonable setback for future expansion and infrastructure building to enhance our road architecture and return on investment”.

“Please, our dear governors, let’s work together. Don’t give planning approvals without collaborating with the Surveyor General of the Federation and the Ministry of Works on these roads. Please, I appeal to you,” he said.

“I’m glad the deputy governor of Lagos State is here. Take it that we will revoke all those approvals given on the setback already given and please note that we are very serious about it.”

“No more approval for those islands being created illegally,” he added.

The May 20 report by SaharaReporters revealed that the exposure of land racketeering in the state had led to an official investigation into the extensive fraud.

SaharaReporters obtained a document showing that the EFCC, in a letter dated May 16, 2025, formally requested detailed records from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development regarding questionable land allocations to 14 companies across prime areas in Lagos, including Banana Island, Lekki, Osborne Foreshore, and Lagos Lagoon.

The letter, signed by the Acting Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ahmed Ghali, and marked CR:3000/EFCC/LS.2/ADM/KOO/VOL.2/491, specifically requested the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, to provide Certified True Copies (CTC) of development permits, certificates of occupancy, equity structures, revenue-sharing agreements tied to these land allocations, amongst other details.

The letter noted that the commission was investigating an “alleged case of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering”.

The agency requested that it be furnished with Certified True Copies (CTCs) of specific documents to aid its investigation. These include confirmation on whether any of the listed companies were granted Development Permits for the shoreline, as well as copies of all relevant Development Permits or Certifications, Certificates of Occupancy (C of O), and title documents for the allocated shoreline.

Additionally, it asked for copies of all layout plans related to the allocated shoreline, along with details such as location, size, purpose of allocation, and whether each allocation was acquired, donated, or transferred from another government agency.

The agency also requested information on equity contributions and joint venture partners, full terms and conditions of the Development Permit—especially revenue-sharing arrangements—and any other relevant details that could assist the Commission in its investigation.

The agency noted that the request was made pursuant to Section 38 (1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and Section 24 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The EFCC listed 14 companies allegedly involved in land racketeering and money laundering. Among them is Walaris Nigeria Limited, which reportedly acquired 572.735 hectares of land at Lagos Lagoon.

Tafba Nigeria Limited is also named, having allegedly obtained five hectares and an additional 55.8 hectares of land in the same area.

Others include Pranav Contracting Nigeria Limited, which got 254 hectares of land at Banana Island; Meroni Nigeria Limited, which got 25.33 hectares of land at Lagos Lagoon; Marlot Eagle Island, which got 100.060 hectares of land at Banana Island; and Marina Del Ray, which got 68 hectares of land at Water Lagoon.

Others listed are Marathon Infrastructure West Africa Limited, which got 10.27 hectares of land at Osborn Foreshore Phase; Spa Dredging Company Limited, which got 80.997 hectares of land at Orange Island; Bull Construction Limited, with 20 hectares of land at Onikoyi Waterfront; Banana Island Higherend Castle Limited, with 96 hectares of land at Banana Island.

The others are Grace Waters, which was allocated 115 hectares of land in Lekki (phase not specified); Grace Point, which received 100 hectares in Lekki; and Gold Island, which reportedly acquired 261.403 hectares of land in Banana Island.

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