The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has recently pointed out that although he is qualified to become governor of Lagos State, he has not given a serious thought about contesting as it was already being speculated. The governorship contest in Lagos State has recently witnessed some dramatic turn as some youth bodies recently tipped the son of the president and former governor of the state, Sheyi Tinubu, to succeed the incumbent; however, some groups differed.
In Obasa’s case, he said his major concern has been to strengthen the party in the state, adding that this is why he continues to mobilize more people to support the party at all times, an act that has been misconstrued by ‘political detractors’ to mean that he was chasing a governorship ambition. The Speaker, who said this in his remarks shortly after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presented the state’s 2025 budget size of N3,005,935,198,401, however, maintained that he is not unqualified to be a governor.
He said, “I have made it a personal task to mobilize 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.”
Earlier, a vote of confidence was passed on the Speaker by all the lawmakers present at plenary.
Sanwo-Olu had said the budget comprised a total revenue of N2,597,034,000,000 and a deficit financing of N408,902,000,000.
The ‘Budget of Sustainability’, which is made of a recurrent expenditure of N1.239 trillion (41%) and capital expenditure of N1.766 trillion (59%), is also to be sourced from a total revenue of N1,970,897,000,000 and total federal transfers of N626,137,000,000. Speaker Obasa responded by pointing out that Nigerians were complaining about the economy at the time the budget was presented. However, as the administration of President Bola Tinubu strives to secure the country’s economic recovery, he urges Nigerians to maintain their optimism.
