By Abigail Philip David
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has declared that he possesses the necessary experience to contest for the governorship of Lagos State. However, he clarified that he has not seriously considered running for the position, despite growing speculation.
Speaking after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presented the 2025 state budget, Obasa emphasized that his primary focus is on strengthening the party in the state. He stated that his efforts to mobilize support for the party through the Mandate platform have been misinterpreted by critics as a personal ambition to become governor.
“I have made it a personal task to mobilize people on the platform of Mandate, which has been misconstrued by some political detractors as a selfish aspiration to become governor,” Obasa said. “My concern is about building our party, and whatever we do is mainly for this cause.”
Addressing allegations of political motives, Obasa denied claims that he sought validation through his family ties in Ojo. “I have never claimed to be related to prominent Lagos families like Onikoyi or Oniru. I am proud of my Obasa lineage in Ojo but do not need local validity to contest. If I decide to run, I will do so from Agege,” he stated.
Obasa also affirmed that he is not too young or inexperienced for the role, asserting that his qualifications match those of his predecessors.
During the plenary, lawmakers passed a vote of confidence in Obasa, underscoring his leadership within the assembly.
In his budget presentation, Governor Sanwo-Olu unveiled a proposed expenditure of ₦3.005 trillion for 2025, dubbed the “Budget of Sustainability.” The budget allocates 59% to capital expenditure (₦1.766 trillion) and 41% to recurrent expenditure (₦1.239 trillion), funded by projected revenues of ₦2.597 trillion and a deficit financing of ₦408.9 billion.
Reacting to the budget, Obasa acknowledged the economic challenges faced by Nigerians but urged them to remain hopeful as President Bola Tinubu’s administration works toward economic recovery.
