Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, son of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has stepped in as acting chairman of Agege Local Government following the sudden medical leave of Hon. Tunde Azeez.

The transition, announced on Monday, has sparked fierce backlash from opposition parties, who allege a “scripted succession” and demand an investigation into what they call political favoritism.

Obasa, previously the council’s vice chairman, assumed leadership just over three months after Azeez’s July 26 inauguration. According to APC Legal Adviser Remi Bello, the handover is “temporary and legal,” with Obasa already initiating community projects and sanitation efforts. “No cause for alarm,” Bello said, defending the move as a routine constitutional procedure.

Opposition voices, however, are unconvinced. African Action Congress Lagos Chairman Ayo Oni criticized the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for allegedly ignoring Azeez’s health condition during candidate screening. “Everyone knew he was ill and couldn’t campaign. This confirms our warnings of manipulation in the July 12 elections – land for the Obasa family,” Oni said, likening the local government system to “family estates.”

PDP’s two-time Agege aspirant, Engr. Awwal Tahir-Maude, took a more measured stance. “Anyone can fall ill; someone must act. But if it’s questionable, we’ll speak up,” he said, noting the party is monitoring developments without rushing to judgment.

Agege, a densely populated Lagos suburb, has been an APC stronghold since 1999. While no formal challenge to Obasa’s appointment has emerged, the timing and familial ties have reignited debates over nepotism and transparency in local governance. APC officials maintain that service delivery remains uninterrupted, with Obasa focusing on infrastructure and welfare programs.