AbdulGaniyu Obasa, son of Lagos State House of Assembly speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, has officially taken over as chairman of Agege Local Government following the resignation of his predecessor, Tunde Azeez, popularly known as Disco, who stepped down due to health challenges.
Mr Azeez’s resignation was announced during a plenary session of the council’s legislative arm, where lawmakers praised his service to the community and wished him a quick recovery. His decision to step down, they said, was a reminder of the need for leaders to prioritise personal well-being while maintaining the integrity of governance.
The lawmakers unanimously confirmed AbdulGaniyu, who previously served as vice chairman, as the substantive chairman of the council. He had been acting in Azeez’s place since July when the latter went on medical leave barely a month after being sworn in.
His official takeover has, however, drawn mixed reactions across political circles, with the opposition describing the transition as a “carefully scripted succession” and alleging that it was part of a pre-arranged political plan.
Former Lagos State chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC), Ayo Oni, said the development confirmed their earlier concerns about manipulation during the July 12 local government elections.
“Everyone in Agege knew the speaker wanted his son as chairman,” Oni said. “When there was opposition within the APC, they replaced him with another candidate and made his son the vice chairman. Now, conveniently, the chairman is sick, and the speaker’s son has taken over.”
Oni also criticised the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for failing to verify Azeez’s health condition before the polls, alleging that “the man presented as chairman was ill and couldn’t campaign.”
He further described the development as “a mockery of democracy,” accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of turning local governments into “family estates.”
However, APC leaders in Agege have defended the succession as lawful and necessary. The party’s legal adviser, Remi Bello, said Azeez followed due process by notifying the council of his medical condition and delegating authority to his deputy.
“The chairman is recuperating, and his deputy is only acting temporarily,” Bello said. “Since taking charge, the acting chairman has been performing well—commissioning projects, employing street cleaners, and engaging community groups. There’s no cause for alarm.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it is monitoring the development but urged restraint.
Two-time PDP chairmanship aspirant, Awwal Tahir-Maude, said: “Anybody can fall ill, and someone must act in their absence. But if we observe anything questionable, we will raise it.”
