Strong indications have emerged that the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, who won re-election for the sixth time to represent Agege 1 Constituency, is set to join the race to retain his seat for a third term.
According to reports, re-elected ranking members and first-timers in the Assembly are set to jump into the contest against Obasa for Speaker.
Speaking to Guardian, a lawmaker said it is almost certain that Obasa would emerge winner in the election of principal officers of the 10th Assembly.
The lawmaker said Obasa is currently the most popular and influential among the legislators, adding that the zoning arrangement within the ruling Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) might also favour his return.
The source said: “One of the things that could have stood as obstacle to Obasa retaining the position is that majority of the ranking lawmakers, who probably would have had the political strength to compete with him, did not return to the Assembly.
“While some of them lost during the party’s primaries, few others moved up the legislative ladder to represent their areas in the Senate and House of Representatives.”
The publication revealed that the only position that would be keenly contested is that of the Deputy Speaker.
OsunDaily News reports that the incumbent Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, won his election to represent Lagos Central in the Nigerian Senate.
A former legislative member of staff of the Assembly said: “None of the lawmakers-elect can face Obasa. The only obstacle is if the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has another person in mind to replace Obasa, which I do not think is feasible.”
OsunDaily News reports that Obasa remains the frontrunner for the speakership position as many lawmakers are satisfied with the way he has presided over the State Assembly for the past eight years.
