A fresh controversy has erupted over the 2026 Lagos State budget following allegations that the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, inserted a ₦68 billion provision for the purchase of residential properties in Abuja for state lawmakers.
Lagos State’s 2026 budget, estimated at ₦4.44 trillion, is already under intense public scrutiny after claims surfaced that the controversial housing allocation was quietly included during the budget’s final stages. Critics allege that the provision was allegedly coordinated within the Speaker’s office with the support of a small group of lawmakers.
According to the allegations, the ₦68 billion allocation would translate to about ₦1.7 billion per lawmaker for the 40-member Assembly, earmarked for the purchase of houses in Abuja — a move that has sparked outrage among civil society groups and political observers.
Opponents of the provision have questioned the justification for using Lagos State funds to acquire properties outside the state, particularly at a time when residents are grappling with rising living costs, infrastructure deficits, and social service gaps.
The budget was eventually signed into law by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, with critics claiming the governor had limited room to reject the document due to political pressure. The state government has, however, not issued an official response addressing the specific allegations surrounding the housing provision.
The development has further fueled criticism of Speaker Obasa, who has spent over two decades in the Lagos State House of Assembly and is believed to be nursing governorship ambitions. Detractors argue that the allegations reinforce long-standing concerns about transparency and accountability within the Assembly’s leadership.
For now, the alleged ₦68 billion Abuja housing provision remains a flashpoint in discussions around governance, fiscal responsibility, and political ethics in Lagos State.
