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Tag: Mr Mudashiru Obasa

  • Don’t see non-indigenes as enemies, Speaker tells Lagosians

    The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA), Mr Mudashiru Obasa, on Tuesday advised residents of the state not to see non-indigenes residing in Lagos as enemies.

    Obasa spoke while inaugurating a water project at Ward D in Ojokoro which was provided by Mr Rasheed Makinde, lawmaker representing Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency II at LAHA.

    He spoke against the backdrop of the ethnic wrangling in Lagos following the outcome of the Presidential and the National Assembly elections.

    “We are one, whether Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba. We should live together; all tribes should vote for APC because we don’t discriminate in Lagos State.

    “We should not see them (non-indigenes) as enemies. We only need to enlighten the non-indigenes among us. There is no need to fight.

    “We should let them know the good things they are enjoying in Lagos State in education and healthcare services, among others.

    “Both Igbos and Hausas enjoy same benefits as Yorubas in Lagos, so they should vote for us,” Obasa said.

    The speaker, however, urged party supporters to rather persuade and enlighten the non-indigenes living in the state on the need to cast their votes for the ruling party.

    According to him, many Lagos residents do not always come out to vote during elections and there is a need to change this attitude in the forthcoming gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.

    “We want to appeal to non-indigenes in Lagos to come out and support the party that has been making it possible to actualise their dreams and aspirations in Lagos State.

    “They must support what the APC is doing in the state. It is always better when we work together, when we collaborate. If you are living in Lagos, we have not at any time discriminated against anybody.

    “This is a very tangible reason why everybody living in Lagos should support this party.

    “This government has been serving Lagosians since 1999, making every effort to make development available to all. Go and tell the non-indigenes.

    “We cannot force them to do our own but we can encourage them. Go and tell them to support the APC because all the benefits of government here are being enjoyed by all-Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba,” he said.

    Obasa, who noted that Makinde had been a good, vocal and vibrant and active legislator, urged the people to return their lawmaker to ensure they mature in the legislative business.

    He also urged the people of Ifako-Ijaiye and Agege to come out en masse to vote for APC candidates in the upcoming elections, adding that the constituents would benefit more if they return Makinde.

    In his remarks, Makinde commended the speaker for his leadership role in the assembly and the benefits he had facilitated to the area through his office.

    After inauguration of the water project, the lawmaker and his campaign team visited a 132-year-old woman in the area, Mrs Nusiratu Aduke Olaniyan and presented her food items and cash gifts.

    Makinde, who also promised a cash gift of N10, 000 monthly for her up keep, later met with Community Development Association (CDA) members in the area. (NAN)

  • Fashola: Lagos Assembly demands apology from Goje

    Fashola: Lagos Assembly demands apology from Goje

    The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday directed the Clerk, Mr Sanni Azeez, to write a protest letter to the Senate over a comment by Sen. Danjuma Goje.

    This followed a motion moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Mr Tunde Braimoh, in respect of a statement credited to Goje (APC-Gombe Central) against the House.

    Former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje

    Braimoh recalled a statement made by Goje, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, on July 5.

    He said Goje had reportedly told the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, not to see the National Assembly as an institution he could control the way he controlled the Lagos Assembly.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Goje had replied Fashola over issues bothering on the 2017 budget.

    Braimoh said that the matter was reported in the national newspapers edition of July 6, 2017.

    “The senator derogatorily referred to the Lagos State House of Assembly by saying that the National Assembly was not Lagos State House of Assembly.

    “The statement is derogatory, uncomplimentary and it is an insult on the Assembly.

    “The constitution does not give the senate power to superintend the state assembly.

    “All the newspapers reported the story and it is an uncomplimentary and disparaging as well as an unparliamentary statement. The context in which the statement was made was slanderous,” he said.

    According to him, the statement brings the House to public ridicule and it made people to feel that the House is a rubber stamp.

    “Goje ought to be more civil with words with his status,’’ he said.

    In his contributions, the Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, said Lagos Assembly was an institution that people of other climes appreciate.

    Olowo said that if Goje has issues with Fashola, he should sort it out rather than insulting the assembly.

    He, however, said that the house should write the Senate to reprimand the senator on the matter.

    In his remarks, Mr Yinka Ogundimu, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, described the statement as provocative.

    Also, Mr Tobun Abiodun, the Chairman, House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, said that there were certain expectations from lawmakers based on ethics of the office.

    “What Goje said is an insult on the leadership of this House. We demand an apology from Goje and the senate,” he said.

    The House later adjourned the plenary session until Tuesday.

  • Lagos: Another PDP lawmaker defects to APC

    Lagos: Another PDP lawmaker defects to APC

    One out of the remaining two Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) members in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Victor Akande (PDP-Ojo I), on Monday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Akande informed the House of his defection on the floor of the Assembly through a letter he addressed to the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, which was read by the Clerk of the Assembly, Mr Azeez Sanni.

    Akande, in the letter, said he was defecting because of the factions in the PDP, which he said were not just two but four, especially in Lagos State.

    My defection is to further continue my support of adding legislative excellence to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and the political leadership of the Speaker of the Assembly, who has impacted on legislative standards in the state.

    “PDP has fallen apart and the centre can no longer hold, so I have chosen to follow the stable APC. I thank PDP for giving me the political platform to showcase myself.

    “I also thank my constituents and traditional rulers in my constituency for their support. I will continue to give them better representation and for me, this is a home coming,’’ Akande said.

    Commenting on the letter, Akande said he moved to APC with the blessings of his people from the Ojo Constituency I, including the royal fathers and all indigenes and non indigenes of the constituency.

    “I consulted widely before arriving at the decision to dump PDP for APC. I hereby shed the garb of PDP and I want to now be clothed with the APC garb,’’ Akande said.

    Akande’s counterpart from the Ojo Constituency II, Mr Olanrewaju Ogunyemi, said, “Akande has made our day in Ojo with this defection.

    “Actually, there is nothing more for him to do in the PDP than to move to the moving train of the APC.’’

    The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, congratulated his colleagues for their good work, which he said, made all the defections possible.

    Obasa also thanked Akande for coming on board the APC.

    He said: “We know you are a man of integrity and we are sure that image will reflect in our party,’’ Obasa said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that six out of the eight PDP lawmakers in the Assembly had defected to APC on Feb. 16.

    With the latest defection, the sole opposition lawmaker in the Assembly is Mr Dipo Olorunrinu, representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency

  • Citizens must never be disregarded by the govt-Obasa

    Citizens must never be disregarded by the govt-Obasa

    A call has gone to the government, saying any government which disregarded the citizens did so at its own peril.

    The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa,expressed the view on Tuesday, at a workshop for the Media and Public Media Officers of the Assembly in Lagos.

    The event tagged:”Legislative Communication and Citizen Engagement-An Integrated Approach” was held at CMD, in Ikeja.

    The speaker, who was represented by Mr Tunde Braimoh, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, said people needed to actively participate in governance.

    “People must matter in any government that will succeed. Citizens should regulate the activities of their leaders.

    “People need to be involved and informed, as power remains with the people. They have the mandate to choose who will govern them.

    “We (government) are the arms, the people are the body and we must not disregard them in whatever we do. Citizens are the reason for government,” he said.

    The Speaker said that it was imperative to involve the people as a way forward for the nation.

    He said that the importance of citizens’ engagement made the state government to prioritise Town Hall meetings and public hearings.

    “It is in the government’s interest to engage the people and it is very important for citizens to engage the government,” Obasa said.

    The speaker said that people, unfortunately, did not know much about the function of legislators, urging media practitioners to educate them.

    He also urged the media to shun every tendency to mislead the people for whatever reason.

    Obasa said he was an advocate of training and retraining of workers to bring the best out of them.

    Also speaking, Miss Bose Lambo, the Director, Public Affairs at the Assembly, lauded the leadership of the House for its commitment to improving the skills of its staff for better service delivery.

    In his remarks, Mr Boye Akintola, Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Correspondents Association,commended the leadership of the Assembly for its support and commitment to organising training for media men.