As political parties begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is grappling with the challenge of choosing a likely successor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, THE WHISTLER has learnt.
Although several aspirants are believed to be eyeing the party’s governorship ticket, insiders say the race remains unsettled, with considerations such as popularity, electability, geography, indigeneship, and internal power balancing expected to shape the eventual choice.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
According to the commission’s timetable, political parties are expected to conduct their primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026, with candidates likely to emerge by the end of May.
In Lagos, no fewer than 10 aspirants are said to be in the race for the APC governorship ticket. They include Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Chief of Staff to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Tayo Ayinde; Private Secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Senator representing Lagos East, Tokunbo Abiru; Commissioner for the Environment, Tokunbo Wahab; the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran (Jandor); and property developer, Samuel Ajose.
NEWSNGR gathered that the party may eventually adopt a consensus arrangement in selecting its governorship candidate.
Sources said two key factors are likely to influence the party’s decision — the aspirant’s popularity and electoral strength — although no final decision has been taken.
Recent media reports had suggested that the party might be tilting towards Hamzat following an alleged meeting of APC stakeholders with President Bola Tinubu in Lagos during the Eid-el-Fitr break.
But a source familiar with the development told THE WHISTLER that no conclusive decision had been reached, particularly amid growing pressure from Lagos indigenes said to be resisting aspirants perceived as lacking indigenous roots.
“The reality is: it’s still an open game given the bold initiative of the natives who keep cutting down every presumptive successor without indigenous roots. They are still scrambling,” the source said.
Hamzat, widely seen as one of the leading contenders, comes from a notable political family in Lagos. He is the son of the late Oba Mufutau Olatunji Hamzat and the late Alhaja Kehinde Hamzat.
His father served as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and later as Commissioner for Transportation between 1979 and 1983.
An engineer, Hamzat was appointed Commissioner for Science and Technology in August 2005 during the administration of then-Governor Bola Tinubu. He retained the position under former Governor Babatunde Fashola after the latter assumed office in 2007.
In 2015, he was appointed Special Adviser on Works to then-Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola. He resigned in September 2018 to contest the Lagos governorship election.
After the conclusion of the APC primary, Hamzat emerged as Sanwo-Olu’s running mate. Sanwo-Olu went on to win the 2019 governorship election, after which Hamzat became deputy governor.
Meanwhile, reacting to reports suggesting Hamzat had emerged as APC’s consensus choice, the Lagos State/South-West Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima National Media Crew, Rasheed Afeja, praised the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision-making body of the Lagos APC.
He described Hamzat as “a round peg in a round hole” and expressed confidence in his ability to govern the state.
“With the endorsement of the leadership of the Progressive Congress in Lagos State, Hamzat is expected to do more to lift many Lagosians out of poverty and continue the good work of Governor Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu in 2027,” Afeja wrote in a social media post.
“Thanks to the GAC leadership who gave Lagos a round peg in a round hole. Thanks for continuing to have passion for good governance of Lagos in your heart all the time.”
However, questions around Hamzat’s indigeneship could complicate his candidacy. In 2018, the PDP alleged that he was an indigene of Ogun State, noting that his late father was the traditional ruler of Afowowa Kingdom in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State until his death in May 2019.
Last month, a group under the aegis of Lagos State Prominent Indigenes called on the APC to reserve the governorship ticket for qualified indigenous candidates in 2027, citing fairness, equity, and inclusiveness.
In a communiqué issued after a technical committee meeting on March 18, 2026, and signed by its Convener, Adesunbo Onitiri, the group resolved that key leadership positions in Lagos State, including Governor, Deputy Governor, and Speaker of the House, should be occupied by indigenes.
The group said the move was necessary to promote equity, preserve local identity, and deepen stakeholder participation. It added that aspirants must meet clear criteria, including verifiable Lagos ancestry, strong academic and professional credentials, and proven leadership experience.
“They must exhibit sound character, discipline, and exemplary personal conduct, with proven achievements within and beyond Lagos State,” the communiqué stated.
The group further said candidates should demonstrate commitment to societal values, family responsibility, and the ability to lead collaboratively with a focus on transformational governance.
Traditional rulers from Badagry Division have also intensified calls for political inclusion, urging the APC to zone the governorship to the division.
At a press conference, Oba Olalekan James spoke on behalf of royal fathers and stakeholders, describing the demand as a corrective step aimed at addressing long-standing political imbalance.
The monarchs said the campaign was not driven by agitation but by the need for fairness and equitable participation. They noted that Badagry remains the only one among the five historical divisions — Epe, Ikorodu, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Badagry — yet to produce a governor under either military or civilian rule.
They also highlighted the contributions of indigenes such as Samuel Ajose, whom they credited with strengthening party structures and mobilising grassroots support.
Efforts by NEWSNGR to reach the Lagos APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, were unsuccessful.
Consensus selection is not new within the Lagos APC. Even during recent ward and local government congresses, party leaders across the 20 local government areas reportedly emerged through consensus arrangements.
Some political observers and analysts, however, argue that consensus can stifle internal democracy and limit healthy competition. Aspirants are also said to be cautious about launching full-scale mobilisation amid uncertainty over the party’s eventual direction.
Meanwhile, the state APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, has maintained that the party has no anointed candidate for any elective office.
“Our main focus is the process of electing the candidates who will fly our party’s flag in the next election.
“I wish to state categorically that all the available positions are open for contest, as the party has no anointed candidate for any seat,” he said in a statement.
