In a move that has effectively rewritten the political landscape of Lagos West, the long-standing Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Agege Federal Constituency. Running completely unopposed, Obasa’s smooth transition from state legislator to federal aspirant marks a major milestone ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A Masterclass in Consensus
The primaries, which took place yesterday at the high-security mini-stadium in the heart of Agege, felt less like a contest and more like a coronation. Delegates from all 11 wards of the constituency arrived early, dressed in colorful Aso-Ebi bearing the Speaker’s image.
The electoral committee, led by Chief Segun Omoworare, announced that following the strategic withdrawal of two other prospective aspirants in the weeks leading up to the screening exercise, Obasa was the sole valid candidate on the ballot. After a formal voice vote by the 330 accredited delegates, Obasa was officially declared the winner, drawing thunderous applause from the party faithful.
“The voice of the people is the voice of party supremacy,” Omoworare declared while presenting the certificate of return. “In Agege, we have demonstrated that internal democracy does not always require friction. It requires consensus, maturity, and vision.”
Grateful to the Core
Taking to the podium beneath the scorching afternoon sun, Speaker Obasa was visibly emotional as he addressed the crowd. Flanked by his political allies and local government chairmen, the six-term state lawmaker dedicated the victory to the grassroots mobilizers who have anchored his political career since his first election to the state assembly in 2003.
“I stand before you today not just as a winner, but as a product of your unwavering loyalty,” Obasa said, his voice echoing through the stadium’s public address system. “To be returned unopposed in a constituency as politically vibrant and conscious as Agege is a heavy honor. It tells me that the over two decades we have spent delivering infrastructure, empowerment, and qualitative representation have not been in vain.”
He extended deep appreciation to the leadership of the party, particularly the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) and the national leader of the party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for maintaining a stable environment for fair play. He urged his supporters to remain vigilant, emphasizing that the primary was merely the first hurdle. “The real work begins now. We must take this energy to the general elections to ensure the APC retains its progressive hold on Agege and Lagos State,” he added.
The Regional Ripple Effect
Obasa’s decision to move to the National Assembly after serving an unprecedented three terms as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly creates an enormous vacuum in Alausa. Having stabilized the state legislature through multiple political storms, his departure means a high-stakes race for the next Speaker of the Lagos Assembly is already brewing behind closed doors.
Local political analyst, Alhaji Musbau Agbodemu, noted that Obasa’s move to the Green Chamber is a strategic play by the Lagos political establishment. “Obasa is not going to Abuja just to be an ordinary floor member,” Agbodemu observed. “With his institutional memory and vast legislative experience, he is being positioned to vie for a principal officer role, possibly the Speakership of the House of Representatives, depending on zoning in 2027. Agege has just sent their heavyweight to the national ring.”
