‘A Premeditated Plot’: Agege APC Erupts as Speaker’s Son Takes Over as Acting LGA Chairman

A fragile political truce in Agege Local Government Area has shattered, igniting fierce protests and accusations of a “premeditated plot” against the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The controversy centers on Hon. Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, the son of the powerful Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa. Hon. Abdul-Ganiyu has officially assumed the role of Acting Chairman of the Agege LGA. This development comes just weeks after the substantive Executive Chairman, Hon. Tunde Azeez, popularly known as “Tunde Disco,” proceeded on medical leave in late August. For aggrieved party members, this is not a routine transfer of power. Instead, they see it as the final, deceptive move in a political chess game designed to install the Speaker’s son as Agege Chairman all along.

Protesters Allege Deception and Imposition

The protests, which reconvened with renewed vigor, were laced with a deep sense of betrayal. Party loyalists, who had previously agitated against the direct imposition of the Speaker’s son, now feel tricked. Placards reading “Agege is not a family dynasty” and “We reject this political 419” captured the mood. Protesters charge that the entire electoral process was a charade. Specifically, they believe party leaders engineered the outcome to circumvent the will of the grassroots. “This was the plan from day one,” shouted one protest leader. “They knew Hon. Azeez was not well. They used him to get the Vice Chairman position for Obasa’s son. Now, they have pushed him aside. This is a disgrace to democracy.”

The anger stems from a contentious political compromise struck earlier in the year. The initial push by party elites to field Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa as the direct chairmanship candidate for the July 2025 local government elections met with fierce resistance. Grassroots members and rival aspirants caused an uproar, warning against such a blatant act of nepotism. This forced the party leadership back to the drawing board. Consequently, they orchestrated a “compromise” ticket. Hon. Tunde Azeez, who was serving as the Agege APC Party Chairman at the time, was moved to become the substantive candidate for LGA Chairman. In return, Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa was named as his running mate for Vice Chairman. This move temporarily quelled the open revolt, as it appeared to respect the party structure.

A “Compromise” Built on a Shaky Foundation

However, protesters now claim this “compromise” was a Trojan horse. They point to the fact that Hon. Tunde Azeez’s health was allegedly a known concern even during the campaign. This has fueled speculation that his candidacy was merely a placeholder. It was a strategic maneuver, they argue, to get the Speaker’s son as Agege Chairman through the back door. By law, the Vice Chairman automatically takes over if the Chairman is incapacitated or absent. The fact that Hon. Azeez proceeded on medical leave so soon after taking office—barely settling in—is, for the protesters, definitive proof of this “premeditated action.”

This situation presents a severe crisis of legitimacy for the new Acting Chairman. Hon. Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, who previously served as the Vice Chairman, now takes the helm of the local government. But he does so without a direct mandate for the top job. He faces the daunting task of governing a populace and a party, a significant faction of which views him as an imposed leader. His authority is immediately undermined by the belief that his ascension was not a constitutional formality but a carefully orchestrated plot. This perception poisons the well, making any appeal for unity or cooperation incredibly difficult.

Dual Power, Double Anger

The controversy, therefore, is no longer just about nepotism. It has evolved into a full-blown crisis of trust. Party members feel their loyalty has been exploited. They were placated with a compromise, only to see their worst fears realized through a loophole. This development further cements the Obasa family’s control over Agege. With Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa presiding over the State House of Assembly and his son now commanding the local government’s executive branch, critics see a troubling consolidation of power. This concentration of both legislative and executive influence in one family strikes many as fundamentally undemocratic and a direct threat to the internal politics of the APC in the constituency.

An Uncertain Path Forward

As Hon. Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa begins his familiarization tour of council offices, he does so under a heavy cloud. His administration is born from deep-seated division. The aggrieved members are not backing down. They are calling for the state and national leadership of the APC to intervene, investigate the situation, and address what they see as a subversion of the democratic process. They are demanding transparency regarding Hon. Azeez’s health and the timeline of his medical leave. Ultimately, they feel cheated of a fair election for their local government leadership.

The APC leadership in Lagos now faces a critical test. Ignoring the protests risks alienating a significant portion of its base in Agege, potentially weakening the party ahead of future elections. Conversely, any move to investigate or overturn the constitutional succession could trigger a different kind of legal and political crisis. The saga of the Speaker’s son as Agege Chairman has become a textbook example of political hardball. But, it may come at the steep price of the party’s own unity and the trust of its members.