Lagos APC Aspirants Vindicate Obasa Over Protest Sponsorship Claims

A group of All Progressives Congress aspirants in Lagos State has come out to defend the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, against allegations that he sponsored a recent protest by party members. The protest, which took place at the APC secretariat in Ogba, was staged by members from various local government areas, including Badagry, Mushin, Amuwo-Odofin, Eti-Osa, Somolu, Ajeromi, and Oshodi, who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the party's primaries. The protesters claimed that the primaries were marred by irregularities, manipulation of results, and a disregard for party guidelines. However, in a statement, the aspirants described the allegations against Obasa as false and misleading, stating that the protest was a spontaneous expression of dissatisfaction by thousands of committed party members and supporters. They argued that suggesting the protesters needed sponsorship to voice their frustrations was an insult to their intelligence and a dismissal of their legitimate concerns. The aspirants further stated that the demonstration was triggered by allegations of manipulation, distortion of results, cheating, and disregard for party guidelines during the primaries. They accused some individuals of attempting to shift attention away from the core issues by scapegoating the Speaker. Obasa himself has dismissed the allegations, describing them as 'foolhardy, malicious, misleading, and baseless.' He questioned the logic behind the accusations, stating that he was neither a candidate nor a beneficiary of the disputed primaries. The aspirants have urged party leaders to address the grievances arising from the primaries, warning that failure to do so could deepen internal divisions ahead of the 2027 general elections. They emphasized that addressing these grievances sincerely and urgently would strengthen confidence in the party's internal democratic processes and enable them to approach the forthcoming elections with a united front.