Hon Niniola Moruf Adegoke Defends Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa, Affirms His Position as Lagos Assembly Speaker
February 9th, 2025
Hon Niniola Moruf Adegoke, Special Assistant on Youth and Special Duties, has reaffirmed that Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa remains the Speaker of the Lagos State
House of Assembly. Speaking during an appearance on Politics Naija, a popular political magazine program hosted by Mogaji Oladigbo Olalekan Efficient on Tungba 100.9FM Lagos, Hon Adegoke emphasized that the House’s decision to adjourn its sitting until February 18, 2025, stands, and no changes to the leadership will occur until then.
The program, monitored by starnigerianews.com, provided a platform for Hon Adegoke to address recent controversies surrounding the Lagos Assembly and its leadership. He dismissed claims of a leadership change, stating that Rt Hon Obasa continues to hold the speakership position.
“Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa is still the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. The decision of the House was to adjourn until February 18, 2025, and until then, we will know what will happen,” Hon Adegoke declared.
He further attributed the recent attacks on Obasa to envy, noting that some individuals are jealous of the Speaker’s achievements as a successful and loyal party chieftain. “Rt Hon Obasa has been one of the pillar of the party, and his contributions to the growth of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State are undeniable. Some people are simply envious of his success,” he added. On Commissioner Nominees and Party Dynamics
Addressing the issue of the removal of some commissioner nominees, Hon Adegoke clarified that Rt Hon Obasa did not unilaterally remove anyone’s name. He explained that the situation arose from the need to ensure equitable distribution of political appointments among various groups within the APC.
“Obasa didn’t remove anybody’s name as commissioner. What happened is that there are groups within the APC, and every group that worked for the party’s victory in the election deserves to share in the political appointments. However, in some cases, one group takes everything coming to a Local Government, which creates imbalance,” he said.
Hon Adegoke also highlighted instances where commissioners appointed during the first term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu refused to participate in campaign activities during the second term, citing their non-involvement in politics. “Some commissioners said campaigning for the party is not their job, yet they were appointed because the party won the election. If the party had lost, nobody would remember them. These are the issues Rt Hon Obasa has been addressing with wisdom to ensure the party remains united,” he explained.
Budget Presentation Delay: A Non-Issue
Responding to allegations that Rt Hon Obasa delayed Governor Sanwo-Olu for four hours during the budget presentation, Hon Adegoke dismissed the claims as baseless. He noted that such delays are not uncommon and have occurred in the past, with the Speaker also having waited for the Governor on several occasions.
“This is not the first, second, third, or even fourth time the Governor has presented a budget to the State House of Assembly. There have been occasions where the Speaker waited for the Governor. This is just an excuse to tarnish Rt Hon Obasa’s reputation,” he stated.
President Tinubu’s Support for Obasa
Hon Adegoke concluded by revealing that the President Bola Ahmed has expressed his support for Rt Hon Obasa’s continued leadership of the Lagos Assembly. “Mr. President has made it clear that he wants Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa to remain as Speaker, and nothing will change that,” he said.
The interview underscored the ongoing political dynamics within the Lagos APC and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to maintaining stability and unity under Rt Hon Obasa’s leadership. As the House adjourns until February 18, 2025, all eyes remain on the Lagos State House of Assembly to see how the situation unfolds.
*Reported by Star Nigerian News.*