Obasanjo behind rejection of special status for Lagos - Oba of Lagos

Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu has accused former Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo of being the reason behind Lagos not being granted a special status till this moment.


The National Assembly last week defeated a bill sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu to grant Lagos a special status

Akiolu, who spoke during the 3rd Town Hall Meeting of Governor Akinwnumi Ambode for Lagos Central Senatorial District, said Obasanjo had the opportunity to have granted Lagos a special status during his eight years tenure, but that the former president never did it in spite of the pressure mounted on him.

According to Akiolu, “Obasanjo is the cause of Lagos not getting a special status,” adding that he personally led eminent Lagosians to meet him during his tenure to ask for a special status for Lagos.”

He said Obasanjo told him and others that he had already drafted the special status plan for Lagos, but lamented that the former president never fulfilled that promise, saying that if he had done it since then, the issue of the National Assembly turning down Senator Tinubu’s bill would not have arisen.

Akiolu stated that if the late President, Umaru Yar’Ardua had been alive, he would have granted Lagos a special status.

“Yar’Ardua had promised the grant Lagos a special status. If Yar’Ardua had not died, it would have happened by now,” he said.

The monarch, however, said it was a matter of time as Lagos would certainly be accorded a special status, while berating the National Assembly for turning down the bill.