The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, on Thursday said he had not given a serious thought about becoming the next governor of the state as was already being speculated.
Obasa said his major concern has been to strengthen the party in the state adding that this is why he continues to mobilise more people to support the party at all times, an act which has been misconstrued by ‘political detractors’ to mean that he was chasing a governorship ambition.
The Speaker, who said this in his remarks shortly after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presented the state’s 2025 budget size of N3,005,935,198,401, however, maintained that he is not unqualified to be a governor.
He said: “I have made it a personal task to mobilise people on the platform of Mandate, which has been misconstrued by some political detractors as being a selfish aspiration on the ground for me to become governor of the state. There is the need, however, to correct this wrong impression. My concern is about building our party, and whatever we do is mainly for this cause.
“To the blackmailers who have embarked on the mission to distort and redefine our mission, let me state it unequivocally here, our intention is to promote our party on the platform of Mandate.
“Also, becoming governor is secondary; it is something that I have not given serious consideration. Nevertheless, that does not mean I am too young or lack experience to run; whereas, those who have been before me are not better of.”
Earlier, a vote of confidence was passed on the Speaker by all the lawmakers present at plenary.
Sanwo-Olu had said the budget comprised a total revenue of N2,597,034,000,000 and a deficit financing of N408,902,000,000.
The ‘Budget of Sustainability’ which is made of a recurrent expenditure of N1.239 trillion (41%) and capital expenditure of N1.766 trillion (59%), is also to be sourced from a total revenue of N1,970,897,000,000 and total Federal transfers N626,137,000,000.
Reacting, Speaker Obasa noted that the budget was presented at a time complaints by Nigerians about the economy. He, however, appealed to Nigerians to be hopeful as President Bola Tinubu’s administration works to ensure the nation’s economic recovery.
