Mudashiru Obasa’
By Shade Damiro
Speakwr of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa’s son Abdul-Ganiyu was among the 37 aspirants failed the screening out of the 470 aspirants screened between April 29 and May 3 at the party’s secretariat in Ogba,
432 were cleared to contest, while 38 others — including Abdul-Ganiyu — were disqualified or withdrew voluntarily.
Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa was asked to step down from contesting in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections for the Agege Local Government chairmanship, despite enjoying high-level endorsements and significant grassroots support.
The APC Lagos State Electoral Committee, led by former National Legal Adviser Babatunde Ogala, on Friday released the final list of chairmanship aspirants cleared to participate in the party’s primaries ahead of the July 12 local government elections.
Although party sources initially cited reasons such as the absence of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), missing APC membership documentation, and certificate inconsistencies for some disqualifications, Abdul-Ganiyu’s exclusion is believed to be politically motivated.
His withdrawal, insiders claim, was influenced by directives from APC national leader and Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu.
The move has stirred speculation within Agege political circles, especially given Abdul-Ganiyu’s academic and professional record.
His candidacy had been widely endorsed by prominent figures, including the incumbent Agege chairman, Ganiyu Egunjobi, and Vice Chairman Oluwagbenga Abiola, a long-time loyalist of Speaker Obasa. Abiola had earlier stepped down from the race, citing allegiance to the Speaker and party loyalty.
“I will never go against my leader, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa,” Abiola said, acknowledging Obasa’s mentorship since 2015 and expressing readiness to continue serving the party.
The group also pledged to support seven councillorship aspirants aligned with Abdul-Ganiyu’s proposed leadership team.
With the APC’s indirect primaries set for May 10, political analysts believe Abdul-Ganiyu’s exit signals a shift in Agege’s power dynamics, possibly reflecting broader strategic moves within the APC to balance local and national interests.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has confirmed that elections will be held across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), covering 57 chairmanship seats and 376 councillorship positions.
