•And Other Aspirants Have Been Encouraged To Step Down
There is a looming political implosion brewing in the Agege area of Lagos State right now. For the past one week, a wave of political tension has been sweeping through Agege Local Government Area following reports that the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, wants his son to be the next Chairman of Agege LG.
And so, all the other chairmanship aspirants under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in that area are being persuaded to step down for his son, Abdulganiyu Obasa.
City People gathered that at at a closed-door meeting held on Sunday with party leaders and key stakeholders, the issue was discussed and members were told that Abdulganiyu, is being tipped to be the sole contender for the council chairmanship position in the upcoming 12th July, 2025 election. This announcement has sparked widespread discontentment among other aspirants, many of whom had already begun mobilizing support and raising funds for their campaigns.
As it is, other aspirants are to suspend their political activities and avoid any public declarations, including campaign posters or formal announcements, until further notice from the party leadership.
Other aspirants seem to be complying. An insider revealed that this has been the standard within the political system. You obey your leaders with very minimal questions asked. However, just days after the meeting, posters of Abdulganiyu Obasa surfaced on various social media platforms, sparking outrage among party members who viewed it as a strategic move to cement the political control within the Obasa family.
“He told everyone to keep things quiet and wait for the party’s decision, but his son’s posters are everywhere,” one visibly frustrated party leader told City People. “It’s clear there’s no level playing field. This is not democracy; it’s imposition.”
Critics have also raised concerns about the quality of Abdulganiyu’s political experience, pointing out that he has rarely participated in local ward meetings or contributed meaningfully to grassroots party activities. The development has reportedly dashed the hopes of many long-serving APC members, including the incumbent Vice Chairman of the council, Oluwagbenga Abiola, popularly known as Agbelebu, who was widely considered a top contender for the chairmanship seat. And reports reaching City People indicate that Agbelebu is not ready to roll over and allow Obasa’ son ride roughshod all over him.
According to political observers within the Agege axis, Agbelebu has paid his dues. If anyone deserves to be the next Agege local government chairman, he is the one. Oluwagbenga Abiola diligently served his outgoing principal, Egunjobi. He has been part of the grassroot politics in Agege and part of those who have made sacrifices to push things to where they are today in Agege.
City People spoke to some supporters of Agbelebu and they are unhappy over the matter.
“It is not fair, we will fight this one to the very end!” one of them spoke with conviction in his voice. “How can we serve the father and still be asked to serve the son? Why is it now that it’s Agbelebu’s turn to become Chairman that Obasa is doing all these? Agbelebu is not stepping down for anybody, it is fight to finish!”
When asked what the plans of the Vice Chairman is to ensure he picks the nomination ticket for the party and not Obasa’s son, Abdulganiyu, he responded, “We have had a meeting with the Elders, the leaders of Agege. And they have assured us that all will be well and everything will be sorted out. We have another meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) and we are determined that, no matter what they tell us, we will not let this injustice fly!” Another senior party figure who spoke under anonymity accused Speaker Obasa of sidelining dedicated and experienced party loyalists.
“We’ve worked for this party for years. It’s unfair to be pushed aside like this,” he said.
The growing discontent within the Agege APC is raising concerns about internal unity ahead of the local government elections. Some members fear that the development could trigger defections or a loss of public support if not properly managed.
We hear the All Progressives Congress, APC, Stakeholders in Agege Local Government Area have written to President Bola Tinubu over this alleged plot by Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, to impose his son, Abdulganiyu Obasa, as the next Chairman of Agege Local Government.
As the tenure of Jelili Egunjobi, incumbent Chairman of the Local Government, is coming to an end in a few months, many aspirants are jostling to get the APC Chairmanship ticket ahead of the LG Election.
The Stakeholders stated that Abdulganiyu Obasa is a political novice and paperweight, who remains unknown to the Local Party base and lacks any previous political experience or exposure.
They added that Abdulganiyu has no political antecedent.
The Agege Stakeholders stated that it is not acceptable, stressing that the push back from loyal and long suffering party members may degenerate into unnecessary and consequential crises in the LG.
In a letter to President Tinubu by the Stakeholders titled, “An Open Letter Of Concern To His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu And The Leadership Of All Progressive Congress In Lagos State”, signed by President of Agege Political Stakeholders Group, Moshood Oguntuase, on behalf of the group said that the decision by Obasa is unpopular and prominent stakeholders are already dissociating themselves from it.
They added that Obasa’s ingratitude and impunity is provocative and repugnant to the Omoluabi ethos and moral code of decent Agege folks, urging President Tinubu to sanction Obasa.
“The Youths and other critical stakeholders of APC in Agege Local Government and beyond are determined to stand strong and to stand tall and ensure that new faces are given the opportunity to contest, emerge and contribute their quota to society via a level playing field and transparent primaries. This is the crux of the matter.
“Your Excellency, Mr President, we the Concerned Citizens of Agege with deep humility and utmost respect hereby appeal for your firm intervention in this critical matter. Your love for Youths and humanity including the capacity to transform them into great leaders is not in doubt. Hence our abiding resolve to remain your critical foot soldiers anytime and anywhere, always standing on your sacred mandate. Sir, we are grateful for your timely intervention”.
-WALE LAWAL
