The Chairman of Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State, Ganiyu Egunjobi, has said he wants Abdulganiyu Obasa, the son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, to succeed him in office.
In an interview with journalists, Egunjobi, who is of the All Progressives Congress, addressed the controversies that followed the May 10 APC primaries in Lagos State.
He dismissed claims of imposition and defended the legitimacy of the process that produced candidates across Local Government Areas.
“I think the reactions in those quarters where they are shouting ‘imposition’ is in the character of politicians in our clime,” Vanguard quoted him as saying on Friday.
“I’m sure if the results had gone their way, they would be lavishing praise on the electoral process. The election committee put up a good show and should be commended, same with the leadership of the party in the state.”
It will be recalled that there had been some dissatisfaction that led to a protest in Agege and Orile-Agege by some APC members who accused Obasa of imposing close allies and family members, including Abdulganiyu, on the people.
Egunjobi, however, called the bluff of the protesters.
He dismissed one of the leaders of the protests, whom he called a charge-and-bail lawyer, with a wave of the hand.
“I watched the video of the so-called protest and I was amazed to see those who led it.
“A political neophyte, who is a charge-and-bail lawyer, anchored it.
“For your information, this man until recently was gushing about the Speaker, thinking singing the praise of Obasa would get him the party chairmanship ticket for Orile-Agege,” he said.
He added that some of the aggrieved aspirants, including Sola Osolana and Bukola Sofidiya, only returned to the party shortly before the primaries and lacked the moral and constitutional right to contest.
“We know some of their paymasters in the persons of a certain serving senator from Ogun State and a three-time House of Assembly member in our area, to mention but a few,” he hinted, without naming names.
On the candidacy of Obasa’s son, Egunjobi said Abdulganiyu was well-educated and has been “touching lives” in the local government.
“This is someone that is well-read, a PhD student for that matter, who has been touching lives in Agege long before now. In fact, he deserves to succeed me.
“People blabbing ‘imposition’ in respect of the Speaker’s son’s matter are not fair to the young man and Agege,” he declared.
Egunjobi also patted himself on the back for his achievements in office.
“We built a CBT centre for JAMB candidates, upgraded our vocational training institute, and even created a deradicalisation programme for louts post-EndSARS.
“Over 700 staff, including security personnel under ‘Paramole’, are on our payroll, receiving stipends to maintain peace and order,” he said.