Nigeria: Lagos speaker declares bid for Agege House of Representatives seat

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has formally declared his intention to contest for the Agege seat in the House of Representatives ahead of the All Progressives Congress [APC] primaries.

Obasa made the announcement on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Agege, stating that APC leaders in the area had urged him to run for the federal seat. 

“I am responding to the call of our leaders and the people of Agege,” Obasa told attendees. “It is time to take our experience and service to the federal level for the benefit of our constituency.”

The Speaker has represented Agege Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2007 and has served as Speaker since 2015. His move to the House of Representatives would mark a shift from state to federal politics after nearly two decades in the state legislature.

Alongside his own declaration, Obasa also threw his weight behind two allies seeking seats in the Lagos State House of Assembly. 

He urged party members and stakeholders to support Ganiyu Egunjobi, the immediate past Chairman of Agege Local Government Council, in his bid to represent Agege Constituency I in the state assembly. For Agege Constituency II, Obasa endorsed Azeez Oladapo Yusuf Ninolowo.

The endorsements signal Obasa’s intent to maintain political influence in Agege even as he seeks to transition to Abuja. 

Obasa’s declaration adds to the growing political activity in Agege as aspirants across the constituency step up consultations and mobilization ahead of the APC primaries. 

Party loyalists have been calling on residents and delegates to participate actively in the selection process, with several contenders already canvassing for support at the ward and local government levels.

The contest for party tickets is expected to be competitive, with both established politicians and new aspirants vying for positions in the state and federal legislatures.

Meanwhile, APC members in Agege, Orile-Age, and other parts of Lagos State are awaiting the outcome of the screening exercise conducted by the state and national leadership of the party. The screening will determine which aspirants are cleared to contest in the primaries.