Ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial race, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, has doused tension over the race to succeed the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying it is something that I have not given serious consideration.
Obasa said that all his recent political moves were not centred on the race to succeed Sanwo-Olu but to make his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), become great and expand beyond the reach of the opposition parties in the country.
The speaker explained that the group, The Mandate Movement (TMM) was designed to assist the APC reach out to more people in the grassroots and become advocates for the ruling party’s ideology.
He stated this on Thursday after the State Governor presented presented the state’s 2025 budget size of N3,005,935,198,401.
He, however, appealed to Nigerians to be hopeful as President Bola Tinubu’s administration works to ensure the nation’s economic recovery.
“Let me also emphasise that those who live in glass houses must not throw stones as the saying goes. This also brings to my mind, according to our people: eni ba yara logun ngbe. Meaning, the god of iron recognises the swift ones. In other words, those who are facilitating or planning to interfere in this House or destroy the cohesion of this institution should also be prepared for the same fate.
“May I use this medium to sensitise us more on the need to build and sustain our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding our focus for 2027. We need to continue to mobilise people just as I do frequently. I have made it a personal task to mobilise people on the platform of Mandate, which has been misconstrued by some political detractors as being a selfish aspiration on the ground for me to become governor of the state. There is the need, however, to correct this wrong impression. My concern is about building our party, and whatever we do is mainly for this cause.
“To the blackmailers who have embarked on the mission to distort and redefine our mission, let me state it unequivocally here, our intention is to promote our party on the platform of Mandate. Also, becoming governor is secondary; it is something that I have not given serious consideration. Nevertheless, that does not mean I am too young or lack experience to run; whereas, those who have been before me are not better of.
“In addition, it is also important to correct the impression from some naysayers who have been insinuating that I made payment to seek for blood relation in Ojo to validate my candidacy to run as governor. Of course, I have never denied the fact that I am OBASA. But rather, I have never claimed to be related to Onikoyi, Oniru, or any of the other popular Lagos families as the case may be. I can indeed never run from the fact that I am related to my Obasa family in Ojo. But I do not need local validity to contest or run. If eventually I am contesting, I will do so from Agege”.
Reacting, Speaker Obasa noted that the budget was presented at a time complaints by Nigerians about the economy.
He, however, appealed to Nigerians to be hopeful as President Bola Tinubu’s administration works to ensure the nation’s economic recovery.
