Lagos Speaker Warns Ex-Chairmen Against Interference in Councils

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has warned immediate past chairmen of local governments and local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state to desist from interfering in the affairs of their successors.

Obasa gave the warning during a meeting with newly elected chairmen, held inside the Lateef Jakande Auditorium of the Assembly Complex on Tuesday, September 23. It was the second such meeting in one month.

The Speaker condemned reports that some former chairmen were still exerting undue influence, including signing cheques in collaboration with council treasurers and managers.

“How can you be answerable to your predecessors? What you owe them is honour, not control,” Obasa told the new chairmen. “They have done their bit, and everybody is grateful. You are the ones in the saddle now, so take charge.”

He cautioned the past council bosses against “taking the shine” from the incumbents, stressing: “Let the new chairmen breathe. Let the public see that there are new sheriffs in town and that they are doing a good job.”

On the issue of debts, Obasa advised the new chairmen to exercise due diligence before taking responsibility for loan repayments. “Before you start paying loans, ask questions. Where you are unsure of what the loan was used for, look through the books. If you can renegotiate or restructure the terms of the loans, do so for the betterment of your constituents,” he said.

The Speaker further urged the council bosses to hit the ground running, warning that “four years is not a long time in politics.

If the public does not see what you are doing in four months, you have created a wrong impression.”

Obasa also expressed concern over the recent spate of deaths in councils across the state, describing it as unprecedented.

He urged the chairmen to prioritise their health and that of their constituents through regular medical checks and welfare programmes.