Isaac Samuel
President Bola Tinubu is spearheading moves within the All Progressives Congress (APC) to install loyalists as consensus governorship candidates in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states ahead of the 2027 elections.
The move by the President is said to be a strategic effort to consolidate control of the party’s South-West stronghold.
The emerging plan, it was learnt, favours Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) for Ogun State; and Senator Sharafadeen Alli for Oyo State.
The alignments followed a high-level meeting between the President and APC stakeholders from the three states, held in Lagos on Sunday night on the sidelines of Eid-el-Fitr engagements.
Tinubu had hosted Vice President Kashim Shettima, governors and other top officials before breaking into a smaller strategy session focused on the 2027 electoral map.
Insiders said the meeting involved “extensive deliberations” on candidate viability, party cohesion and electoral strategy, with the President said to be keen on avoiding divisive primaries that could weaken the APC in its traditional base.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already fixed January 16, 2027 for presidential and National Assembly elections, and February 6 for governorship polls, with party primaries expected between April and May 2026—leaving limited time for internal negotiations.
It was learnt that the APC is leaning heavily on the consensus option permitted under the Electoral Act, a model it has historically deployed to manage internal competition.
However, the arrangement is expected to come with a web of compensations to placate aggrieved aspirants.
In Lagos, Hamzat’s emergence is far from settled, given the long list of heavyweight aspirants jostling for the ticket.
These include Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Chief of Staff to the governor, Tayo Ayinde; and the President’s Private Secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Others are Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, Jide Adediran (Jandor), and Samuel Ajose, among others
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, is also said to be lobbying actively, although he is reportedly reluctant to resign his position without firm assurances.
In Ogun State, the push for Adeola is said to be generating quiet friction with Governor Dapo Abiodun, who is believed to favour Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu.
The situation is further complicated by indications that former Governor Ibikunle Amosun may return to contest the Ogun Central senatorial seat, potentially displacing Salisu.
In Oyo State, Alli appears to enjoy broader backing among APC stakeholders, including influential traditional and political figures, positioning him as a unifying candidate.
However, the calculations are not without complications.
A member of the House of Representatives, Remi Oseni, is said to command significant grassroots support, with a network of over 200,000 loyalists across the state.
To manage this, It was learnt that the party is considering offering Oseni the Oyo South senatorial ticket as compensation, while also floating the idea of a single-term arrangement for Alli to accommodate zoning expectations beyond Ibadan in 2031.
Other aspirants in the state include former governorship candidate Teslim Folarin; Senator Abdulfatai Buhari; Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu; former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan; and several technocrats and political figures.
There are however concerns over Adelabu’s electoral viability, citing his past performances and strained relations within party structures.
Adelabu’s allies are said to be weighing options, with some cautioning against resigning from the Federal Executive Council without clear guarantees of securing the party ticket.
Stakeholders from Oyo State are expected to meet later this week in Abuja to fine-tune compensation plans and build wider acceptance for the emerging arrangement.
