President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed strong displeasure with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the illegal allocation of 96 hectares of prime land in Banana Island, Lagos, to politically connected developers — a move that has reportedly sparked major political unrest within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
According to reliable sources close to the presidency, part of the land allegedly belongs to President Tinubu himself. The revelation has not only caused tension between Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu but has also led to high-level political manoeuvring, including the reversal of the earlier impeachment of Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
“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,” a source familiar with the matter disclosed. “Sanwo-Olu, they reported, also sold Tinubu’s land at Banana Island.”
This growing rift is believed to have directly influenced Tinubu’s decision to reinstate Obasa, who was removed as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly on January 13, 2025, due to alleged misconduct. His replacement, Mojisola Meranda, briefly served as the state’s first female Speaker.
“Tinubu viewed the removal of Obasa — one of his long-time allies — as politically dangerous,” said the source. “He intervened personally to ensure Obasa’s return.”
In a calculated political move, Tinubu held separate meetings last Sunday. While he met Speaker Obasa privately alongside First Lady Remi Tinubu, Governor Sanwo-Olu was received only in the presence of senior Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC) members, who came to plead on his behalf.
Speaking after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu attempted to downplay the reports of a fallout. “There is none. He’s my father, he’s my leader,” Sanwo-Olu said. “You know, there are people who cry more than the bereaved… we are grateful that he gave us audience today.”
Nonetheless, the President is reportedly moving to revoke the controversial land allocations, part of a broader effort to restore order and accountability.
“Tinubu is also to revoke the land allocated illegally by Sanwo-Olu and others as part of their agreement,” a source confirmed.
This comes just weeks after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched an investigation into widespread land racketeering in Lagos involving over a dozen companies and high-level officials. A May 20 report revealed the EFCC’s request for detailed documents from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on questionable allocations in Banana Island, Lekki, Osborne Foreshore, and Lagos Lagoon.
Among the firms named are Walaris Nigeria Ltd, Grace Waters, Banana Island Higherend Castle Ltd, and Marina Del Ray, with allocations totaling hundreds of hectares.
As President Tinubu warned during a public speech last week:
“No more approval for those islands being created illegally. We must protect our legacy infrastructure.”
In light of the scandal, Tinubu has directed all state governors to stop issuing development licenses on federal road setbacks without prior federal approval, stressing the importance of coordinated urban planning to safeguard public assets.
The fallout continues to shake the political foundations of Lagos APC, with further developments expected in the coming weeks.
